Pious, Feminist, and Islamist: A Study of Young Jordanian Women (2008)

Undergraduate: Sarah Grossblatt

Faculty Advisor: Charles Kurzman
Department: International & Area Studies

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While Islamist opposition movements are not new to the Middle East, Western governments and populations have become more aware of and concerned about them in recent years. Women, often seen as victims of these movements, have become increasingly involved in Islamist activism through voting or leadership roles in Islamist organizations. This study looks at young women at the University of Jordan and their perception of the Jordanian Islamist movement, led by the political party The Islamic Action Front (IAF). Interviews and surveys conducted with students at the University, in addition to data from international studies, show that these young women are both pious and feminist, and they view Islamist ideals, such as the implementation of shari’a law, as highly compatible with these personal characteristics. Despite very high levels of support for the principles on which the IAF is based, support for the IAF itself is extremely low. Women see the IAF as ineffective and weak, working hand-in-hand with the monarchy instead of taking actions to achieve the oppositional and Islamist goals which they espouse. This lack of confidence in the party and in other Jordanian political parties, along with high support for Islamist ideals, show that young women in Jordan support an Islam-based change in the country, yet they do not believe a vehicle for such change currently exists.