"Feminism and Difference: The Perils of Writing as a Woman on Women in Algeria"

by Marnia Lazreg

Marnia Lazreg is an Algerian-born feminist, Sociology professor and NYU alumnus. She is the founder and director of the Association for Research on Algerian Women and Cultural Change, and has done work on gender, social class and human rights.

In this article, Lazreg attempts to highlight some of the problems with Western feminist critiques of Middle Eastern and North African feminism. She says that Western and specifically US feminists have analyzed the state of the Middle Eastern woman with preconceived concepts in mind. Western feminists in studying Middle Eastern and North African women work within such preconceived concepts as religious paradigms which become the limits to what the Western critic considers in his/her study. By emphasizing such paradigms, its critics are forced to limit their analysis to it (85). Lazreg points out the presence of misinformation (perhaps even ignorance) among Western feminists on issues like Islam (84).

Lazreg believes that Western Feminists have set up a standard of feminism around the world. In doing so they have not acted any different from a patriarchal society that sets up the male as the standard. She also points out the use of terms like "Islamic Women" or "Arab Woman" for all Middle Eastern and North African women. She suggests comparing this practice to using "Christian Women" for all European and North American women and thus stresses the importance of separating one's religious identity from one's nationality (88). Lazreg says that individual Middle Eastern and North African who have spoken out against oppression should not be heralded as representatives of millions of oppressed women in Middle Eastern and North African (89).

She goes on to criticize the "colonial project of Frenchification" of Algerian women (91). Lazreg says that French women in an attempt to guide Algerian women towards a French feminist ideal downgraded their culture as well as their religion. She also criticizes the use of leading questions in studies concerning Moroccan women and the cautions against the application of terms like "traditionalists"(93, 95).

In conclusion, Lazreg warns of the dangers of abusing the "power of interpretation" by feminists representing women of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds (96). "Different" women must be allowed to maintain their individuality, and generalizing is "an assault on their integrity and on their identity" (98).

Opinion: I thought this was a very well-written essay on the importance of respecting differences. It pointed out the need for distinguishing between Muslim women and Middle Eastern/North African women and thus for differentiating between religion and culture.

Reading notes by Shama Farooq