Social Class and Gender in Political Analysis

Paper Summary:

The analysis of social class and gender relations are common approaches in politics and sociology. The paper shows that the use of gender and class as an analytic tool turned in understanding the Middle East. It is an attempt by analysts to apply concepts from the modernized nations to traditional societies. The paper shows that the concepts can reveal certain issues of interest to Western analysts, but they may also contribute to a misperception because the class and gender are treated differently in Middle Eastern societies. The paper concludes that class and gender as analytical tools impose Western values. While this may provide a useful analysis in certain terms, it has limitations in explaining internal political actions and attitudes in the Middle East.

From the Paper:

"Bill offers an analysis of the Middle Eastern class structure and shows it to be divided into traditional ruling classes, traditional middle classes, and the mass of society consisting of peasants, nomads, and workers. This class structure, says Bill, "has been knit together in constant movement and has traditionally possessed an extraordinary elasticity" (Bill, 1972, 429) marked by "hierarchically uneven but strongly reciprocal power patterns" (Bill, 1972, 429). Class lines are more permeable than might appear at first because there is a group-class tension marked by shifting power relations. Clearly, Bill would agree with Batatu (1985) that the view that classic sociological class analysis is not applicable to Arab societies is a generalization that cannot be fully supported: "To reject class analysis out of hand, merely on account of contingent ideological associations, is, from a scholarly point of view, inadmissible" (Batatu, 1985, 379). However, this does not indicate how cogent such an analysis may be in practice or how useful it would be in explaining political structures and actions."

More papers on Social Class and Gender in Political Analysis:

• Term Paper # 131419 : "Gender and Social Changes"
• Persuasive Essay # 90423 : "Gender Relations"
• Essay # 47651 : "Social and Health Inequalities in Australia"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: