Though this couch is comfortable enough, I need to get up or risk blinking considerably longer than acceptable. Where's that coffee?..I need to make it through this dialogue. So far, fifteen minutes have passed and I've not gained much from the lecturer's introduction and have yet to pinpoint the main theme of her discussion.
Relocated at the refreshment table, a strong cup of coffee rests between my thumb and forefinger and my focus is sharpening from its fuzzy malaise. From here, the open window's breeze has even stopped muffling Dr Fatima Mernissi's words, instead providing a welcome whisp of cool air on my neck.
Before I found my comfy seat, I didn't know much about our discussion leader except what my buddy told me on our way to the Fulbright house. Apparently, she's not only renowned as one of Morocco's leading feminist scholars, she's internationally regarded as one of Morocco's leading academics.
Later, I found that Dr Fatima is from Fes, was educated in the United States (as well as other countries) and has published over a dozen books and articles on various scholarly topics. Standing with the fresh taste of Nescafe on my palate, I still wonder what this leading scholar intends as her focal point.
Since the Fulbright director concluded his introduction, I'd written a bunch of her antecdotes and discussion points. As interesting as they were, they collectively appeared disjointed and mutually exclusive. A story of how Fatima was introduced to the concept of establishing her own website was followed by a quip regarding youth and their desires to be respected and later a statistic representing the current number of Arab satellite television channels.
I listened for an indicator of the discussion's theme, but I sooner found a twice-drained coffee cup. After another hour of discussion and a question-and-answer session, I obtained an introductory pamphlet for the speech and began to piece together what our lecturer was alluding to - something I knew I should have done prior to finding that spot on the couch!
What follows is a brief account of what I took away from the pamphlet and Dr Fatima's dialogue. I'll not include most of the points discussed, only those I found most interesting and relevant to the discussion. If you were there and had a different perspective, please feel free to add it below!
Dr Fatima's pamphlet was most helpful in providing the missing theme. Entitled, "The Collapse of Masculinity as the Engine of Wealth in Digital Islam," her presentation focused on how the perceptions (and to a greater extent, roles) of women and youth were changing in the Middle East. Two factors have assisted their evolution: the internet and satellite television.
Generally speaking, the internet has acted as a medium for populations typically cut off from information to obtain it and provide feedback to audiences not once reachable. More specifically, women and rural youth have benefited from this increased exposure, as their voices are allowed to escape the home that once served to shield them from such "intrusions."
More noted was the influence of satellite television on women's roles, specifically regarding opportunities for financial independence as well as an increased use of sex in Arab advertising. Dr Fatima provided examples of each, noting a female Al Arabiya journalist who was employed by CNN for $500,000 in 1997, a female Lebanese singer who makes $900,000 per performance and another female Lebanese singer who's dowry is reportedly $4 million.
As a result of these types of earnings, a new relationship status quo is emerging, one that challenges the notion that a woman's place is only in the home. Though I see these examples as extreme outliers not at all representative of the majority of the female population, I don't doubt that there's been a shift in how their success has influenced the view of gender roles in general.
Additionally, the author circulated magazine covers and advertisements contained therein around the room. Each showed women in non-traditionally Muslim attire, and most advertisements rivaled the level of sex appeal on display in western publications.
This type of advertising undoubtedly chafes fundamentalists and moderate Arabs throughout the Middle East but is difficult to regulate, so the question was raised whether or not a double standard exists between advertising and customs and traditions in daily life.
An audience member asked, "Is this level of sexually controversial material acceptable in advertisements as well as everyday activity?" Afterward, he provided an incident his group observed the day prior where police arrested a handful of couples who were publicly necking, indicating that he believed a gap - even in moderate Morocco - exists between what's acceptable in magazines and everyday activity. After our dialogue leader's neutral answer, I was left wondering.
Regardless, after an hour with Dr Fatima, I came to respect her point of view particularly with respect to the significance of increased connectivity. As a result of being able to obtain and share information over the internet and satellite television, I don't doubt that Muslim women (and youth in general) are seeing an increased opportunity for a more prominent role in society. Being able to grasp previously withheld information and touch once isolated audiences, it definitely follows that both groups should enjoy new economic and social opportunities.
Additionally, as our scholar alluded in her introduction, these groups not only want respect but they respect the artists currently seen in these medium outlets. Her pamphlet concludes with a recent poll result where Moroccans voted a female stage artist known for performing nude as more influential than one of the country's most eloquent and influential party leaders.
Though I'm not convinced that poll accurately reflects the Moroccan people's true beliefs regarding Moroccan power-holders, it supports our speaker's point that controversial issues (and their proponents) enjoy once-reserved popularity and might advance gender equality in the public's perception.
Overall, I took a good bit from the discussion and was glad to find room in the audience despite my initial difficulties in finding the doctor's theme. A few other takeaways:
Relocated at the refreshment table, a strong cup of coffee rests between my thumb and forefinger and my focus is sharpening from its fuzzy malaise. From here, the open window's breeze has even stopped muffling Dr Fatima Mernissi's words, instead providing a welcome whisp of cool air on my neck.
Before I found my comfy seat, I didn't know much about our discussion leader except what my buddy told me on our way to the Fulbright house. Apparently, she's not only renowned as one of Morocco's leading feminist scholars, she's internationally regarded as one of Morocco's leading academics.
Later, I found that Dr Fatima is from Fes, was educated in the United States (as well as other countries) and has published over a dozen books and articles on various scholarly topics. Standing with the fresh taste of Nescafe on my palate, I still wonder what this leading scholar intends as her focal point.
Since the Fulbright director concluded his introduction, I'd written a bunch of her antecdotes and discussion points. As interesting as they were, they collectively appeared disjointed and mutually exclusive. A story of how Fatima was introduced to the concept of establishing her own website was followed by a quip regarding youth and their desires to be respected and later a statistic representing the current number of Arab satellite television channels.
I listened for an indicator of the discussion's theme, but I sooner found a twice-drained coffee cup. After another hour of discussion and a question-and-answer session, I obtained an introductory pamphlet for the speech and began to piece together what our lecturer was alluding to - something I knew I should have done prior to finding that spot on the couch!
What follows is a brief account of what I took away from the pamphlet and Dr Fatima's dialogue. I'll not include most of the points discussed, only those I found most interesting and relevant to the discussion. If you were there and had a different perspective, please feel free to add it below!
Dr Fatima's pamphlet was most helpful in providing the missing theme. Entitled, "The Collapse of Masculinity as the Engine of Wealth in Digital Islam," her presentation focused on how the perceptions (and to a greater extent, roles) of women and youth were changing in the Middle East. Two factors have assisted their evolution: the internet and satellite television.
Generally speaking, the internet has acted as a medium for populations typically cut off from information to obtain it and provide feedback to audiences not once reachable. More specifically, women and rural youth have benefited from this increased exposure, as their voices are allowed to escape the home that once served to shield them from such "intrusions."
More noted was the influence of satellite television on women's roles, specifically regarding opportunities for financial independence as well as an increased use of sex in Arab advertising. Dr Fatima provided examples of each, noting a female Al Arabiya journalist who was employed by CNN for $500,000 in 1997, a female Lebanese singer who makes $900,000 per performance and another female Lebanese singer who's dowry is reportedly $4 million.
As a result of these types of earnings, a new relationship status quo is emerging, one that challenges the notion that a woman's place is only in the home. Though I see these examples as extreme outliers not at all representative of the majority of the female population, I don't doubt that there's been a shift in how their success has influenced the view of gender roles in general.
Additionally, the author circulated magazine covers and advertisements contained therein around the room. Each showed women in non-traditionally Muslim attire, and most advertisements rivaled the level of sex appeal on display in western publications.
This type of advertising undoubtedly chafes fundamentalists and moderate Arabs throughout the Middle East but is difficult to regulate, so the question was raised whether or not a double standard exists between advertising and customs and traditions in daily life.
An audience member asked, "Is this level of sexually controversial material acceptable in advertisements as well as everyday activity?" Afterward, he provided an incident his group observed the day prior where police arrested a handful of couples who were publicly necking, indicating that he believed a gap - even in moderate Morocco - exists between what's acceptable in magazines and everyday activity. After our dialogue leader's neutral answer, I was left wondering.
Regardless, after an hour with Dr Fatima, I came to respect her point of view particularly with respect to the significance of increased connectivity. As a result of being able to obtain and share information over the internet and satellite television, I don't doubt that Muslim women (and youth in general) are seeing an increased opportunity for a more prominent role in society. Being able to grasp previously withheld information and touch once isolated audiences, it definitely follows that both groups should enjoy new economic and social opportunities.
Additionally, as our scholar alluded in her introduction, these groups not only want respect but they respect the artists currently seen in these medium outlets. Her pamphlet concludes with a recent poll result where Moroccans voted a female stage artist known for performing nude as more influential than one of the country's most eloquent and influential party leaders.
Though I'm not convinced that poll accurately reflects the Moroccan people's true beliefs regarding Moroccan power-holders, it supports our speaker's point that controversial issues (and their proponents) enjoy once-reserved popularity and might advance gender equality in the public's perception.
Overall, I took a good bit from the discussion and was glad to find room in the audience despite my initial difficulties in finding the doctor's theme. A few other takeaways:
- Quotes: "When you are angry, say something nice or nothing at all." "Eat and drink but don't take too much." "Allah doesn't like those who are too eager to consume." "The men can fight but the women can talk."
- Arab money is going to the west more than it should; instead, it needs to go to the Arab people.
- Consumerism is a western concept and often negatively viewed through Muslim eyes as self-centered and individualistic.
- In Sufism, the stranger is looked at as a welcome change to a known point of view. We might all benefit from taking this point of view.
- Political realms lack creativity; therefore, women should not feel that their presence is missed should they be excluded from the process.
- Audience members have a responsibility to do their homework on their speaker just as much as a speaker should know his/her audience. Prep beforehand.
- It's difficult to bridge the language gap when presenting in a second language. To do so, a concrete outline should be included at the beginning of the discussion.
- Written and Verbal Communication differ immensely. Work on them equally.
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