Globalization, Gender and Islam: The Case of Egypt

Paper Summary:

An examination of the the new era of globalization, focusing on Egypt, and its many effects on a distinctive Islamic society. The paper looks at Egypt during the 19th century, the era of colonialism, the cold war, and nowadays -- the age of U.S. dominated globalization. A major theme of the paper is the effect of the interaction of 'East' and 'West' on the development of radical Islam, as well as on the growth of feminism in Egypt.

From the Paper:

"The processes of globalization can viewed as a process, in which "the world is rapidly being molded into a shared social space by economic and technological forces " (Held, McGrew, Goldblatt & Perraton) As the economies and cultures of the world become integrated into the whole of the global information age, the concept and reality of globalization becomes more complex and far-reaching. The consequences of this increased sense of interconnectedness is that events in one community will inevitably affect all societies. And due to imbalance of power, the most forceful, dynamic and potent culture is likely to dominate others, thereby inducing much resentment in many indigenous cultures. Thus many argue that globalization, in this sense, is similar to colonialism. Encapsulating this sentiment about interaction with the dominant Western culture, indigenous leaders recently held a convention in which they argued that tension is created since "people have to defend themselves against that kind of attack". (Lucas) Globalization is therefore challenging existing social identities across the planet in many important ways. Many have forgotten the positive aspects of globalization because they are more concerned about preservation of their own distinctive identity. Ever-increasing cultural interactions, it is said, "break down human-scale structures, destroy bonds of reciprocity and mutual dependence, and pressure the young to substitute their own culture and values with the artificial values of advertising and the media." Like many others, Helena Norberg-Hodge goes on to argue that much of the discontents and conflicts that exist in various parts of the world is a result of increasing exposure to foreign cultures. Both domestic and international conflicts nowadays, it is therefore argued, are to a large extent a result of this interaction of cultures."

More papers on Globalization, Gender and Islam: The Case of Egypt:

• Book Review # 85803 : "The Case of Valentine Shortis"
• Analytical Essay # 85288 : "Globalization and Terrorism: The Case of Palestine"
• Case Study # 52425 : "The Case of the Endangered Entrepreneurs"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: