Arab Feminisms: A Critical Perspective
October 4‐7, 2009
American University of Beirut
ProgramIssam Fares Hall
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
6:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

Conference Opening:
Noha Bayoumi – Secretary General, Lebanese Association of Women
Researchers (Bahithat) Opening Speech
Jean Said Makdisi – Conference Organizing Committee
 WelcomeRafif Rida Sidawi – Conference Organizing Committee
 Introducing Dr. Mervat Hatem
Keynote Address:
Mervat Hatem ‐ Department of Political Science, Howard University,
Washington D.C., President of the Middle East Studies Association,Women and Memory What do Women Want? A Critical Mapping of the Future
Direction for Arab Feminisms
Reception

College Hall ‐ B1
Monday, October 5, 2009
09:00‐09:30
a.m.
09.30‐11.30
a.m.

Registration

12:00‐02:00
p.m.

PANEL 2
New Directions for Arab Feminist Thought (II) Chair: Rafif Rida Sidawi ‐ Bahithat

PANEL 1
New Directions for Arab Feminist Thought (I) Chair: Maher Jarrar – American University of Beirut
Hoda El‐Sadda ‐ University of Manchester, Manchester, UK., Women and Memory
 Feminism in the Arab World: Challenging Discourses and Definitions
Kaltham Al‐Ghanim ‐ Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
 The Limits of Arab Feminist Thought and Its Cultural Framework
Najla Hemadeh ‐ Lebanese American University, Bahithat No Comparison: Women Evolved Progressively Away from Men
Suaad Zayed Al‐Oraimi ‐ The United Arab Emirates University, Al‐Ain
 The Emergence of Arab Feminism: Possibilities and Challenges
Zeina Zaatari ‐ Global Fund for Women, San Francisco, CA.
 An Arab Feminist Renaissance: Possibilities and Requirements
11:30‐12:00
Coffee Break1

Amira Y. Badri ‐ Ahfad University for Women, Umdurman, Sudan
 The Role of Sudanese Women’s Movements in Peacemaking and Well‐being
Noha Bayoumi ‐ Lebanese University, Bahithat Feminist Studies and the Feminine Self
Hatoon Ajwad Al‐Fassi ‐ King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
 Is There a Saudi Feminism?
Mai Al‐Nakib* ‐ Kuwait University, Kuwait Accounting for Affect: Kuwaiti Women Between Freedom and Apathy
02:00‐05:00
Lunchp.m.
05:00‐07:00
ROUND‐TABLE 1
p.m.
Feminism and the Arts
 Chair: Nada Sehnaoui ‐ Bahithat
Fowziyah Abu‐Khalid - King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
 The Question of Freedom and the Feminist Perspective in the Work of an
Arab Creative Artist
Dina Georgis*‐ University of Toronto, Canada
 Injured Masculinities and Violent Reactions: A Feminist Response(cinema)
Watfa Hemadi ‐ Lebanese University, Bahithat Feminist Features in Dramaturgical Discourse
05:00‐05:15
Coffee Breakp.m.
Dalia ٍSaid Moustafa ‐ University of Manchester, UK A Young Girl's Identity: War and Adulthood in Daniel Arbid’s Film “In theBattle Fields”
Anastasia Valassopoulos*‐ University of Manchester, UK Representation of Women in the Early Films of the “New Cinema
Collective"

Tuesday, October 6, 200909.30‐11.30a.m.

PANEL 3Feminist Studies and Social Transformation
 Chair: Carmen Bustani ‐ Bahithat
Hala Kamal ‐ Cairo University, Egypt, Women and Memory
 The Aesthetics of the Feminist Writing in the Works of Sahar al Mougi
Mouza Ghubash ‐ Association of Humanities Studies, Abu Dhabi, United ArabEmirates
 Social Impediments to the Education of Women
Amina El‐Bendary ‐ American University in Cairo, Egypt , Women and Memory
 Arab Feminist Historiography
Huda Ali Alawi Hussein ‐ University of Aden, Yemen The Experience in Women's and Gender Studies at the University of Aden
Nahwand Al‐Kaderi ‐ Lebanese University, Bahithat Feminist Thought and Masculine Traps
11:30‐12:00
Coffee Break2

12:00‐02:00
p.m.

PANEL 4Feminism and Islam Chair: Ahmad Dallal – American University of Beirut
Omaima Abu Bakr ‐ Cairo University, Egypt, Women and Memory
 Themes and Directions in Muslim Feminist ThoughtAmel Grami ‐ University of Manouba, Tunis
 A New Feminist Movement or a Feminist Strategy to Gain Rights
Hosn Abboud ‐ Independent Researcher, Bahithat Feminist, Modernizing Koranic Exigesis: The Work of Aisha Abdel Rahmanand Amina Woudoud
Hoda El‐Saadi ‐ American University of Cairo, Egypt, Women and Memory
 Islamic Feminism in the Arab World: Acceptance or Rejection

Elora Shehabuddin*‐ Rice University, Houston, Texas
 Rokeya in the world: The experience of 20th Century Bengal
02:00‐04:00
Lunchp.m.
04:00‐06:00
ROUND‐TABLE 2
Globalization and Colonial Feminismp.m.
 Chair: Nayla Kaedbey
Amina El‐Annan*‐ Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut The American Relationship with the Middle East: Globalization, Art,Religion and Gender
Laleh Khalili* ‐ SOAS, University of London, UK Gendered Practices of Counterinsurgency
Eilleen Kuttab ‐ Bir Zeit University, Palestine Arab Feminist Thought: Where is it Going?
05:00‐05:15
Coffee Breakp.m.
Jean Said Makdisi ‐ Independent Writer and Researcher, Bahithat
 “Women’s Rights” and Feminist Thought
Shahrzad Mojab*‐ University of Toronto, Canada
 Tracing Dollars, Mapping Colonial Feminism
Vron Ware*‐ The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK Reading to Change the World: Sexual Politics and Publishing in the Age of
Public Diplomacy

Wednesday, October 7, 200909.30‐11.30
a.m.

PANEL 5Feminism, Islamism and Secularism
 Chair: Huda Zreik ‐ Bahithat
Islah Jad ‐ Bir Zeit Univeristy, Palestine The Palestinian Women's Movements Between Secularism and Islamism:
Marnia Lazreg*‐ Hunter College, CUNY
 Postmodern Theory and Muslim Women3

Azza Charara Baydoun ‐ Lebanese University, Bahithat Feminist Approaches to the Study of Arab Masculinity: The Example ofNawal al Saadawi
Saba Mahmood*‐ University of California at Berkeley
 Secular Feminism and Religious Reform: Politics of an Imperial Imaginary?
11:30‐12:00
Coffee Break
12:00‐02:00
PANEL 6p.m.
War, Occupation and Arab Feminism Chair: Rosemary Sayegh ‐ American University of Beirut
Amal Amireh ‐ George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
 The Disappearing Act of Palestinian Women:
Haifa Zangana ‐ Iraq
 The Iraqi Feminist Movement: From Resistance to AcceptanceNadera Shalhoub Kevorkian ‐ Arab Center For Applied Social Research, Palestine Palestinian Women: Between Racist Theology and the Physics of WorldPowerAnisseh al Amine‐Merhi ‐ Psychoanalist, Bahithat
 War and Conflict: The Clandestine Discourse of Women
Elaheh Rostamy‐Povey*‐ SOAS, University of London, UK Afghan Women Resistance and Struggle in Afghanistan and DiasporicCommunities
02:00‐04:00
Lunchp.m.
04:00‐06:00
ROUND‐TABLE 3
p.m.
Feminism in the World Chair: Fadia Kiwan – St. Joseph University
Zainah Anwar*‐ Sisters in Islam, Malaysia
 Working on Women’s Rights within Religion: Successes and Challenges
Hazel Carby*‐ Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
Deniz Kandiyoti*‐ SOAS, University of London, UK Between Feminism and Social Engineering: The Troubled Trajectory ofInternational Gender Activism
05:00‐05:15
Coffee Breakp.m.
Mari Oka*‐ Kyoto University, Japan▪ The Unfinished Project of Decolonizing National Memories in Japan:
Narratives of Korean Women Residents in Utoro, JapanKumkum Sangari*‐ University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Joan Scott*‐ Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ.
 Feminism’s Difference Problem
Guest Participant: Nivedita Menon – University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
 Rosemary Sayegh – American University of Beirut Suad Joseph – University of California* English presentation
4

Conference on Arab Feminisms: A Critical Perspective
List of Participants Presenting Papers
Name
Amal Amireh
Amel Grami
Amina El-Annan
Amina El-Bandary
Amira Badri
AnastasiaValassopoulos
Dalia Said Mostafa
Deniz Kandiyoti
Dina Georgis
Eileen Kuttab
Elaheh Rostami-Povey
Elora Shehabuddin
Fowziyah Abu-KhalidHayfaa Zangana
Hala Kamal
Hatoon Al-Fassi
Hazel V. Carby
Huda Alawi Hussain
Hoda El-SaadyHoda Elsadda
Islah Jad
Joan W. Scott
Kaltham Al-Ghanim
Kumkum Sangari
Laleh Khalili
Mai Al-Nakib
Mari Oka
Marnia Lazreg
Mervat Hatem
Mouza Ghubash
Nadera Shalhoub Kevorkian
Nivedita Menon
Omaima Abou-Bakr
Saba Mahmood
Shahrzad Mojab
Suaad Zayed Al-Oraimi
Veronica Ware
Zainah Anwar
Zeina Zaatari
Anisseh Al-Amine
Azza Charara Baydoun

University or Association/Country
George Mason University, U.S.A.
University of Manouba, Tunis
Yale University, U.S.A.
Women and Memory Forum, Egypt
Ahfad University for Girls, Sudan
University of Manchester, U.K.
CASAW - University of Manchester, U.K.
SOAS - University of London, U.K.
University of Toronto, Canada
Beir Zeit University, Palestine
SOAS - University of London, U.K.
Rice University, U.S.A.
King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
Independent Writer, Iraq
Cairo University – Women & Memory Forum, Egypt
King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
Yale University, U.S.A.
University of Aden, Yemen
Women & Memory Forum, Egypt
CASAW - University of Manchester, U.K.
Beir Zeit University, Palestine
Institute for Advanced Study, U.S.A.
Qatar University, Qatar
University of Wisconsin, U.S.A.
SOAS - University of London, U.K.
Kuwait University, Kuwait
Kyoto University, Japan
City University of New York, U.S.A.
Howard University, U.S.A.
Association of Humanistic Studies, U.A.E.
Mada Al-Carmel, Palestine
Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
Cairo University – Women & Memory Forum, Egypt
University of California at Berkeley – U.S.A.
University of Toronto, Canada
United Arab Emirates University, U.A.E.
The Open University, U.K.
Sisters in Islam, Malaysia
Global Fund for Women, U.S.A.
Bahithat, Lebanon
Bahithat, Lebanon

Hind Soufi
Hosn Abboud
Jean Said Makdissi
Nahawand Kaderi
Najla Hamadeh
Noha Bayoumi
Watfa Hamadi

Bahithat, Lebanon
Bahithat, Lebanon
Bahithat, Lebanon
Bahithat, Lebanon
Lebanese American University - Bahithat, Lebanon
Bahithat, Lebanon
Lebanese University – Bahithat, Lebanon