5 Assignment 12

In the reading, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others” written by Lila Abu-Lughod, she argues the views of other American journalist and former first lady, Laura Bush. To be completely honest, I found this reading to be super hypocritical of Lila Abu-Lughod. She argues why they would ask her to be interviewed after the September 11th terror attack in New York City, and why they would ask about religion and culture versus looking at the history of the Taliban. I think that after the attack everyone wanted to understand why the terrorist Taliban group would attack Americans, and in order to understand you would need to look at their culture and religion which is incorporated into their history. And I mean why not interview a well educated women who is Muslim and an Anthropologist, whose interest is in within the history, religion, and culture of Muslim women. Lila goes on to say that even after the Taliban eased the rule of women wearing veils, they continued to wear them and critizied former first lady for saying that the Muslim women needed saving. The Muslim women wear the veil because of oppression and continued to wear them because of oppression, and it would be silly to think that the lift from wearing the veil was actually real, but then ask why anthropologist and journalist would question the purpose of the veil. She even quotes one of her favorite books, was about Christian missionaries helping Muslim women by telling their story, and also goes to a reception with a photography exhibit of Muslim women in burkas in which she writes,”Please join us in helping to lift the veil”, but then questions the purpose of lifting the veil. Maybe I read it incorrectly but for me she was completely facetious in tone and hypocritical with the point she was trying to argue.

In her article “ Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?,” Lila Abu-Lughod explains that Muslim women, especially Afghan women were being mobilized as symbols in the War on Terrorism. She explains that people in the West somehow believes that by gaining insight into the culture of the Middle East, the religious beliefs, and the way women are treated, they will unlock the information they need to combat the War on Terrorism. In a speech that she gave Laura Bush said that the War on Terrorism was also a war to fight for women’s rights (in countries where women aren’t as liberated like the West). One of the main topics of discussion was the burqa. Many believe that the burqa was a sign of oppression of Muslim women. It was view was the ultimate sign of oppression of Afghan women under the Taliban government, and Americans wanted to “save” these women. However, even after being free from Taliban rule, Muslim women still went about with coverings. What Abu-Lughod is trying to get Westerners to understand is that there is a difference in culture. People dress differently in different societal communities. These women wear different types of covering voluntarily, as it is their way of respecting and honoring their culture. Americans and others who want to “save” these women use the burqa and other cultural coverings as an excuse to have their presence in a country there their interest lies. Abu- Lughod explains that we need to learn to accept differences and move toward a society that seeks to end global injustices. Abu-Lughod says in order to accept differences we need to be able to see that Americans can’t just want Afghan women to be just like use. Westerners need to understand that what we want for them after liberation may not be the same things they want for themselves. Also, there may me different ideas about justice and the future so we should be mindful of the rhetoric used when talking about “saving” people. She criticized the way Laura Bush categorized Afghan women as someone that needs saving (by American troops). She says to imply that you are saving someone, you have to be saving them from something. She compares these current statements about saving “others” to those of the 19th century and says that they are the exact same sentiments worded differently. Abu-Lughod says that we need to seek to find ways to help create a world that is better for everyone.

In Lila Abu-Lughod’s work, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving” she explains how the culture of Muslim people are judged and used as an excuse for the United States to intervene in Afghanistan problems and try to take over or control them. She explains how Americans have created this idea that the way people are treated or act here is the way everyone should be treated in other countries. Muslim women in their countries are fighting for rights because they are constantly oppressed and seen as inferior which brings up ideas of whether they need assistance in order to change their situation. In reality these problems are recognized but nothing is done about it as it is only used as an excuse to get involved. Through a different perspective Abu-Lughod also argues that just because the people of Afghanistan are used to different customs and traditions it doesn’t mean that they need “saving”. In Afghanistan many women are covered from head to toe which they have been used to for years and it is very symbolic in their culture. The difference are not a cry for help which Abu-Lughod is trying to et across. Instead of judging cultural differences and using them against the people we should accept them. These differences have been used to make Afghans seem like bad people who are often blamed for any terrorism in America. For example after 9/11, muslims have been widely blamed for the attack and from then on for many more. Although, from the outside Afghan women may seem like they need help, according to the United Stated their religious beliefs and cultural preferences are not a cry for help. Abu-lughod also includes that Muslim women are able to teach their daughters, express themselves, and have gained many rights without being afraid of punishments.

In the piece “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving” by Lila Abu-Lughod discusses the ethics about the current war on terrorism. She also explains how cultural difference causes a strong divide in people and causes people to judge others based off of what they believe in. Ever since the terrorist attacks on 9/11, Muslims have been attacked for their beliefs and are the cause to all terrorist activities around the world. The kind of questions that news programs posed on women after 9/11, showed how they were being magnified for everything they believed in. Did Islam allow this activity? What did Muslim women believe in? The question being posed is why are people looking into the culture of a region, particularly beliefs and religion, as if it would help explain why these terrorist attacks occur.On the topic of the cultural mode of explanation, she explains how Muslim women were symbolic of the war on terror. In the speech given by Laura Bush, she wanted Muslim women wanted to justify American bombing. This would allow women to live in fear without punishment, and how the war on terrorism also involved the fight for the rights of Muslim women. The discussion of the veil or burqas displays the importance that this holds to women in Muslim society. The wearing of the burqas is a big sign in the oppression against women. Although, it is sign of oppression against women, it is also a sign of respect to the Muslim religion. Muslim women are not gonna throw their burqas on the floor to symbolize rebellion. Taking off the burqa does not give them freedom. The Taliban did not invent the burqa, it was meant to symbolize a women’s modesty. It protected women against the strangers in society. A women throwing off a burqa would essentially cause a woman to disrespect herself and lose her modesty. The culture is essentially voluntary, not forced on women. The certain cultures such as wearing a burqa is a choice made by the Muslim women and not by society.

In “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod criticizes how Muslim women and Islamic faith are being utilized to portray War on Terror and why that poses a problem. First of all, in regards to addressing recent terrorist attacks, there is a tendency of focusing on the cultural aspect, such as religious beliefs and the treatment of Muslim women. Abu-Lughod mentions how media likes to talk about women and religious rituals, as though understanding such aspects brings insight into terrorism. As a result, the real root of the problem rarely gets discussed; the historical and political issues are often left unveiled. By addressing and emphasizing how culturally different it is on the other side of the world, it creates a division that further impairs the ability to seek out the truth as to why such sufferings exist and find the appropriate solution.

Such “cultural mode of explanation,” and the unnecessary focus on the role of women in regards to the War on Terror can be seen as a justification for the “right” of Americans to interfere and “take over” Afghanistan. Portraying Afghan women as being inappropriately treated by the Taliban-and-the-terrorist has linked the fight against terrorism to the fight for women’s rights. Abu-Lughod seems skeptical as to whether the desire to intervene by the U.S. forces solely lies upon liberating these women. And if so, what really is the right way of saving these women? Abu-Lughod emphasizes the importance of recognizing differences and accepting that what Afghan women consider to be “liberating” may be different from what the rest of the world is trying to impose on them. As exemplified by the case regarding burqas, what many fail to realize is that it serves as a symbol for women’s modesty, not something that the Taliban has imposed upon women against their very will. As noted by anthropologist Hanna Poparek, it’s like a “portable seclusion” that allows women to be liberated out of their isolated lifestyles. However, the world often portrays women wearing burqas as being confined and repressed, while taking out the burqas means being liberated. Abu-Loghod warns against such misconceptions and hopes to instill the right solutions that is appropriately aimed to bring safety and better life for all.

Alfie Corteza

Professor Bullock

Assignment #12

In “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” by Lila Abu-Lughod she explains the dilemmas that Islamic woman face in the eyes of Western countries. An example would be Western missionaries making attempts to rescue Muslim sisters, in the early 20th century by correcting their incorrect religion of being a Muslim to Christianity. As if they were in the wrong for practicing such religion that is different from their own, in the eyes of the West the missionaries had thought they were enhancing the lives of women and the society, but in truth, they were only creating problems. It is in a similar case with the Americans once the Taliban were removed from the region, they had expected that the freedom would cause the women to throw off their burqas and rejoice in the freedom that they had not felt before. However, it was revealed that they did not throw away their burqas but remained in use as it was used to maintain the image of respectability and modesty. Also, it was a way for the woman to roam around the city without a male companion because it covered them with separating and protecting them from unrelated men. Thus questioning whether or not if the Muslim woman does not need any rescuing of any kind. Besides, the fact that Westerners are “rescuing” these women in the Middle-East implies that they cannot take care of themselves and are inferior, while the West displays themselves as superior as they have the power to rescue them. Lughod questions the priorities of these non-profit and government initiatives as they focus on a small detail, for example, the liberation of the woman’s veil, instead of the importance of making the world itself a better place to live. Lughod mentions that the only reason why the United States and the West involve themselves is to benefit their military and economic goals.

In Lila Abu-Lughod’s essay she talks about the need to define what it means to be a Muslim women and have Islamic beliefs from the western world perspective. In doing so, an us versus them atmosphere was created between the two regions. There was a focus put on analyzing the culture, faith and gender dynamics rather than the history behind the current state of the government that the U.S was involved in. Everyone wanted an explanation, so religion and culture became the scapegoat instead of getting to the real root of the problem. There was a very specific picture that was being created where the westerners had to go in a save the Muslim women from a life of oppression as seen in the juxtaposition between first lady’s speech and the women in burqas. Muslim women were used to justify the war. In Laura Bush’s speech she made a distinction between people she saw as civilized, or the westerners, and Taliban. She expressed sympathy for the women and children sustaining the idea that we need to intervene and they need to be saved. She wanted to make it seem as if the American bombings were necessary to save the women and children saying that our intervention women have more freedoms. She equated the war on terrorism to be the war against the oppression of Muslim women. This was critiqued because it simplified the struggles of Muslim women ignoring the poverty and malnutrition they faced which can only be worsened with bombings. She believed that they had “selective concern” where they focus on specific issues that are seen on the surface but ignore the root of the problems. Often times the root of the problem is also similar to the issues in the west. For example, there was a fight to end the practice of sati and child marriage in South Asia, but there was no effort to give women a solid educational foundation where marriage wouldn’t be such a focus or necessity. Some of the men fighting to liberate these women were against women in their countries voting. It can make you question if the real goal is to liberate women or is it to make everyone oppress women in the more “acceptable” way.

Due Tuesday, November 28th, by midnight. Word count, at least 300 words. You may include a brief quotation, but be sure this is followed by your interpretation of the text and include the proper citation (either MLA or APA). Late assignments will be accepted for partial credit if they are submitted no later than one week after the original deadline.

In her essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod describes an explanatory power that is attributed to the Islamic faith and Muslim women in particular. How does she characterize and critique this connection affiliated with the War on Terror, part of what she calls a “cultural mode of explanation”?