Islamic attitudes and the support for Gender Equality and Democracy in Seven Arab Countries, and the role of anti-â€Western feelings
In the societal and scientific discussions about the support for democracy and gender equality in the Arab Middle East, this study engages the triangular theory, which predicts that Islamic orientations influence gender equality attitudes and democracy negatively, and attitudes towards gender equal...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Hipatia Press
2014-06-01
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| Series: | Géneros: Multidisciplinary Journal of Gender Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/generos/article/view/796 |
| _version_ | 1797847988145487872 |
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| author | Niels Spierings |
| author_facet | Niels Spierings |
| author_sort | Niels Spierings |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
In the societal and scientific discussions about the support for democracy and gender equality in the Arab Middle East, this study engages the triangular theory, which predicts that Islamic orientations influence gender equality attitudes and democracy negatively, and attitudes towards gender equality are also expected to lead to more democratic support, partly channelling the influence of Islam. This theory was tested on Arab Barometer data for seven countries, including three different dimensions of Islamic-religious identity: affiliation, piety, and political-Islamist attitudes. The analyses roughly back the triangular model, but for democratic support only the Islamist values seem important, partly working through economic gender equality attitudes. Attitudes towards women’s position in politics and education seem unrelated to democratic support. In addition, this study applies the gender and postcolonial concept of ‘othering’ to the triangular model. Theoretically it predicts that in the current neo-colonial era, anti-Western feelings might create more Islamic and less democracy and gender equal attitudes simultaneously, making Islam’s impact partly spurious. Empirically, this is modestly supported for the Islamist-democracy link only. However, anti-Western feelings do relate to gender equality, democratic support, and religious attitudes, and deserves more attention when studying democracy and gender equality in the Arab Middle East.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:20:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a023c6382ad64f9e8a18abbe09837f27 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2014-3613 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:20:11Z |
| publishDate | 2014-06-01 |
| publisher | Hipatia Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Géneros: Multidisciplinary Journal of Gender Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-a023c6382ad64f9e8a18abbe09837f272023-04-12T07:55:38ZengHipatia PressGéneros: Multidisciplinary Journal of Gender Studies2014-36132014-06-013210.4471/generos.2014.40Islamic attitudes and the support for Gender Equality and Democracy in Seven Arab Countries, and the role of anti-â€Western feelingsNiels Spierings0London School of Economics and Political Science In the societal and scientific discussions about the support for democracy and gender equality in the Arab Middle East, this study engages the triangular theory, which predicts that Islamic orientations influence gender equality attitudes and democracy negatively, and attitudes towards gender equality are also expected to lead to more democratic support, partly channelling the influence of Islam. This theory was tested on Arab Barometer data for seven countries, including three different dimensions of Islamic-religious identity: affiliation, piety, and political-Islamist attitudes. The analyses roughly back the triangular model, but for democratic support only the Islamist values seem important, partly working through economic gender equality attitudes. Attitudes towards women’s position in politics and education seem unrelated to democratic support. In addition, this study applies the gender and postcolonial concept of ‘othering’ to the triangular model. Theoretically it predicts that in the current neo-colonial era, anti-Western feelings might create more Islamic and less democracy and gender equal attitudes simultaneously, making Islam’s impact partly spurious. Empirically, this is modestly supported for the Islamist-democracy link only. However, anti-Western feelings do relate to gender equality, democratic support, and religious attitudes, and deserves more attention when studying democracy and gender equality in the Arab Middle East. https://hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/generos/article/view/796Islamgender equalitydemocracyattitudes in the Middle Eastneo-colonialism |
| spellingShingle | Niels Spierings Islamic attitudes and the support for Gender Equality and Democracy in Seven Arab Countries, and the role of anti-â€Western feelings Géneros: Multidisciplinary Journal of Gender Studies Islam gender equality democracy attitudes in the Middle East neo-colonialism |
| title | Islamic attitudes and the support for Gender Equality and Democracy in Seven Arab Countries, and the role of anti-â€Western feelings |
| title_full | Islamic attitudes and the support for Gender Equality and Democracy in Seven Arab Countries, and the role of anti-â€Western feelings |
| title_fullStr | Islamic attitudes and the support for Gender Equality and Democracy in Seven Arab Countries, and the role of anti-â€Western feelings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Islamic attitudes and the support for Gender Equality and Democracy in Seven Arab Countries, and the role of anti-â€Western feelings |
| title_short | Islamic attitudes and the support for Gender Equality and Democracy in Seven Arab Countries, and the role of anti-â€Western feelings |
| title_sort | islamic attitudes and the support for gender equality and democracy in seven arab countries and the role of anti a€western feelings |
| topic | Islam gender equality democracy attitudes in the Middle East neo-colonialism |
| url | https://hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/generos/article/view/796 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nielsspierings islamicattitudesandthesupportforgenderequalityanddemocracyinsevenarabcountriesandtheroleofantiawesternfeelings |