Lughod – Assignment 10
Lila Abu-Lughod makes it clear in her abstract that reification of culture, or wanting to make cultural and religious practices by Muslim women especially practical and concrete, is problematic in the sense that it’s an objectification. In other words, over-analyzing and incorporating politics ultimately strips cultural complex practices of its value and significance and places judgement on it, as if it is a tangible thing, relating it to rights and liberty, and whether their practices are interfering or almost victimizing these women and their socially and politically aligned entitlements.
One quote that stuck out to me during Abu-Lughod’s mention of her interviews in the U.S, with acknowledgement of constructions of Islam in relation to broadcasted politics, is “as if knowing something about women and Islam or the meaning of a religious ritual would help one understand the tragic attack on New York’s World Trade Center and the U.S. Pentagon, or how Afghanistan had come to be ruled by the Taliban, or what interests might have fueled US,” (p. 785). This quote is truly significant when attempting to unravel Abu-Lughod’s critique on constructions of Muslim women and “vocations of saving others” due to the evidence of these interview questions specifically indicating assumptions of a potential internal crisis within Islam that may be a result of tragic attacks or terrorist acts.
Contributing to more shocking news, in Laura Bush’s speech, bombings in Afghanistan, supported by neat cultural icons: “rejoiced” Afghan/Muslim women speakers, were portrayed as assistant in liberating women from their households, which simultaneously served as supposed imprisonment under the Taliban reign, and allowing them to have simple pleasures, like listening to music. Without shedding clarity on “separate causes in Afghanistan of women’s continuing malnutrition, poverty, and ill health,” (p. 784) within the speech, the Taliban, or “terrorist” control was emphasized in a greater negative perception in association with Islam and Muslim women who need saving.
Another misconception of the Taliban and terrorist reign and women’s oppression is that women were forced to wear veils, or hijabs. Due to their religion, ethnic groups, and due to the local form of covering that went on before and after the Taliban were present, it is clear that their apparel was a result of their own free choice and is a result of complex socio-cultural practices of modesty, not necessarily oppression. “If we think that U.S. women live in a world of choice regarding clothing, all we need to do is remind ourselves of the expression, “the tyranny of fashion,’” (p. 786). Clothing can be a result of hegemonic practices, dictated by constant reminder of ideologies of beauty and trends, and the U.S, then, should recognize their own cultural practices in relation to socially shared standards and moral ideologies, similar to Muslim women in other areas outside of the U.S.
Too often people, even feminists, fail to separate their desire for equality, freedom, entitlements, etc from ethical ideologies that associate with Western ideals. The want and need for general safety and sufficient living conditions for humans worldwide should outweigh the focus on historical location, Muslim women, religious labels and cultural practices.
