Social Change and Women's Work across Three Generations in Abha, Saudi Arabia

338 Pages·2013·24.4 MB·English

Social Change and Women's Work
across Three Generations
in Abha, Saudi Arabia
Rajaa Taha Alqahtani
Thesis submittedfor the Degree ofDoctorofPhilosophy
DepartmentofSociology
FacultyofArts and Human Sciences
UniversityofSurrey
March 2012
©RajaaAlqahtani
Abstract
Women's work participation in Saudi society has been characterised as low and limitedto a few
gender-segregated fields; mainly in education and social services. However, previous social
studiesprovide limitedexplanations forthis,andatthe sametimelittle isknownaboutthehistory
ofwomen'swork in thepre-Oil era.Today younger generations ofwomenarefacinghighrates of
unemployment and underemployment, which requires a deep analysis andunderstanding. Hence,
this study aimed to reveal various aspects ofpaid and unpaid work across three generations of
womeninAbha startingfromtheestablishment oftheSaudistatein 1932tothepresent day.
The study explored the main factors ofsocial change that have constructed women's work, how
work experiences have influenced women's lives and identities, and the links between women's
work and theirempowerment. To achieve this, the research involved aqualitative studybased on
77 in-depth interviews with women in Abha, southwest Saudi Arabia. A purposive sample of
women was collected from three generations of women, which included a range of socio
economic classes.
Major fmdings of this study indicate that women's position in the labour market has been
influenced by a complex ofeconomic and cultural factors, the core ofwhich have been directed
by theSaudistate'spoliticalproject ofbeing "modem and Islamic".Arangeofmechanisms have
been mobilised, particularly regarding state policies, gender segregation system and education,
withprofound implications forwomen'slives.Women havebeen amarkeroftheState'spolitical
project, andhaveembodiedtheparadoxical aspects ofthisproject asmodembut Islamic.
Although factors ofsocial change and work experience have had different impacts on women
belonging to various generations and socio-economic backgrounds, they have moulded the
collective identity for Saudi women in Abha, which has transferred from local to national, and
finally to a contested national identity. Across the three generations, women's empowermenthas
been limited by lack of resources and restricted agency. This makes achieving empowerment
through employment by 2015, as required by the Millennium Development Goals (UN 2000), a
very difficultgoaltoachieveunlessthe statelaunchesanurgentreformplan.
I
Statement of Originality
This thesis and the work to which it refers are the results ofmy own efforts. Any ideas,
data, images ortext resulting from the work ofothers (whetherpublishedorunpublished)
are fully identified as such within the work and attributed to their originator in the text,
bibliography or in footnotes. This thesis has not been submitted in whole or in part for
any other academic degree or professional qualification. I agree that the University has
the rightto submitmy worktotheplagiarism detection serviceTurnitinUK fororiginality
checks. Whether or not drafts have been so-assessed, the University reserves the right to
require an electronic version of the final document (as submitted) for assessment as
above.
Rajaa TahaAlqahatni
16March 2012
II
Acknowledgments
Firstand Most ofall, praisebe to Allahfor providingme withstrengthand persistenceto
manage all the challengesto complete this study
Throughoutthis research, Iwas fortunate to have the supportofmanyexceptional
peoplewhich Iwouldlike to acknowledgewithdeep gratitude:
Dr. NoraAl-Sa'adwho believedin me and helpedme make this dreamcometrue.
My supervisor, Professor.Sara Arberwho providedme with her valuable guidance.
My very specialmother, for her devotedsupportall the waythroughthis research, for
beingthe first gatekeeperofmy fieldwork, and for beingthe principal carerfor my
childrenenablingme to fulfil the dream she instilledin me.
My father, myfirst tutor, whose knowledge and wisdom have inspiredme all throughthis
research
My husbandwhose love and assistancehelpedme throughoutthis study
My friend and Ph.D researcherKholoodAsiri for readingand providingmy studywith
invaluable commentsand mostofall for herpositive spiritthat alwaysenlightenedme
My Cousin, SalmaAl-Qodarri, the main gatekeeperofthe fieldwork, who providedme
withenormousguidance and helpedme in accessingthe women's arenain Abha
DrNoraAl-Mosaedforkindlyreadingpartsofthisstudyandmakingvaluablesuggestions.
Ms. AgnesMcGill,not onlyfor editingmythesisbutmostofall herdevotedsupport.
The informantsofthis studywho openedtheirhomes and heartsfor me, and made this
studypossible and enjoyable
MysponsorKing Abdul Aziz Universityand Saudi Cultural Bureau in UKthat have
generouslyfunded this research
My siblingsRima, Waleed and Wael; and my friends Huda, Lu, Ahlam, Manal, Sara,
Rasha, Samia, Pam; Wafaa and all familymembers and friends for providingme not
onlywiththeiremotional supportbuttheirpracticalhelp in caringfor my children,
discussingsome ideas and transcribingor computingassistance.
The apples ofmy eye, my children, Sakhrand Rajwawho bravelyenduredthe time Iwas
busyor away, and have filled my heartwithhappiness.
III
Dedication
To Saudi Women
To My Grandmothers,
Salha BenMusalat & Abdiyah Ben Aydh, May Allah bless their souls,
and Saudi women oftheirgeneration
Hopingthis research contributesto documentingaprecious part ofwomen's historyin
Saudi Arabia.
To MyMother,
Zinab Mimish, and her boom generation
Hopingthis researchprovides adeeperunderstandingofthe changing periodofwomen's
lives inthat era.
To My daughter,
Rajwa and her generation
Hopingthis study will contributeto constructingabetterlife for you and all Saudi
people.
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Table of Content
ABSTRACT
STATEMENTOFORIGINALITY II
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS III
DEDICATION IV
TABLEOFCONTENT V
LISTOFTABLES VIII
LISTOFFIGURES IX
1.INTRODUCTION 1
1.1THESISSTRUCTURE 4
2.ABHAANDSOCIALCHANGE 9
2.1ABHAINTHEWIDERGEOGRAPHICALREGION 9
2.2THEREGIONOF'AsIRTHROUGHDIFFERENTHISTORICALPHASES 10
2.3THECITYOFABHAANDSOCIALSTRATIFICATION 14
2.4THEECONOMYOF'AsIRANDSAUDIARABIA 18
2.5THESAUDIPOPULATIONANDTHELABOURMARKET 24
2.6CONTESTATIONWITHINTHECULTURALSYSTEM: 27
2.7CONCLUSION 33
3.UNDERSTANDINGANDTHEORIZINGTHEEXPERIENCEOFSAUDIWOMEN 34
3.1WOMENWITHINTHEPATRIARCHALORDER 3S
3.2WOMENANDTHESTATE 38
3.3WOMEN,CULTUREANDRELIGION 47
3.4WOMEN'SEMPOWERMENT 53
3.5CONCLUSION 57
4.CONTEXTUALIZINGWOMEN'SWORKINSAUDISOCIETY 60
4.1WOMEN'SUNPAIDWORK 60
4.2WOMEN'SPAIDWORK 64
4.3CONDITIONSOFWOMEN'SWORK 69
4.4CONCLUSION 84
v
S.METHODOLOGY 86
5.1AIMSOFTHESTUDY 86
5.2QUALITATIVERESEARCH 87
5.3IN-DEPTHINTERVIEWS 88
5.4RESEARCHDESIGNANDSAMPLING 89
5.5THEPILOTSTUDIESANDTHEMAINSTUDY 96
5.6GAININGACCESSTOWOMEN'SARENAINTHEFIELDWORK 98
5.7CONDUCTINGTHEIN-DEPTHINTERVIEW 102
5.8ETHICSOFTHEQUAlITATIVESTUDY 106
5.9RELIABILITYANDVALIDITY 107
5.10CODINGANDDATAANALYSIS 108
5.11CONCLUSION 111
6. FIRSTGENERATIONWOMENANDUNPAIDWORK 113
6.1.HOUSEHOLDWORK 115
6.2AGRICULTURALWORK 123
6.3DIVISIONOFUNPAIDWORK 130
6.4UNPAIDWORKANDWOMEN'SEMPOWERMENT 140
6.5CONCLUSION 143
7.FIRSTGENERATIONWOMENANDPAIDWORK 146
7.1NATUREOFPAIDWORKANDCLASS 146
7.2GENDERDIVISIONOFPAIDWORK 158
7.3PAIDWORKANDWOMEN'SEMPOWERMENT 160
7.4FIRST-GENERATIONWOMENANDIDENTITY 164
r.s
CONCLUSION 167
8.SECONDGENERATIONANDTHESTRUCTUREOFWOMEN'SWORK 170
8.1UNPAIDWORK 170
8.2PAIDWORK 174
8.3GENDEREDSEGREGATIONINTHEBOOMERA 185
8.4CONCLUSION 189
9.SECONDGENERATION,CLASS,IDENTITYANDEMPOWERMENT 190
9.1CLASSANDWOMEN'SWORK 190
9.2PAIDWORKANDWOMEN'SEMPOWERMENT 193
VI
9.3SECOND-GENERATIONWOMENANDIDENTITY 204
9.4CONCLUSION 207
10.THIRDGENERATION,WOMENANDWORK 209
10.1UNPAIDWORK 209
10.2PAIDWORK 211
10.3UNEMPLOYMENT 221
10.4WOMEN'SCLASSANDPAIDWORK 222
10.5GENDERSEGREGATION 225
10.6THIRDGENERATIONANDEMPOWERMENT 227
10.7WOMEN'SWORKANDIDENTITY 234
10.8CONCLUSION 237
11. DISCUSSION:THECONSTRUCTIONOFWOMEN'SWORK 240
11.1THEFORMATIONOFTHEISLAMICPOLITICALPROJECTANDWOMEN'SWORKACROSSTHETHREEGENERATIONS 241
11.2THESTATE'SMECHANISMSFORIMPLEMENTINGTHEMODELOFMUSLIMWOMEN 249
11.3CONCLUSION 258
12.CONCLUSIONS"THECIRCUMSCRIBEDWORKINGWOMEN" 260
12.1DIVERSITYAMONGWOMENANDTHEIRWORKEXPERIENCES 261
12.2CONSTRUCTIONOFNATIONALIDENTITYOFWOMENIN'AsIR 264
12.3WOMEN'SWORKANDEMPOWERMENTACROSSTHREEGENERATIONS 270
12.4WOMEN'SWORKANDACHIEVEMENTOFEMPOWERMENT 278
BIBLIOGRAPHY 283
APPENDIX1(GLOSSARY) 315
APPENDIX2(INTERVIEWGUIDELINE) 321
APPENDIX3(ARABICINTERVIEWGUIDELINE) 324
APPENDIX4MAPOFABHAWITHARABIC 326
VII
List ofTables
TABLE2.1:THEPOPULATIONGROWTHINSAUDIARABIA 24
TABLE5.1:EXPLANATIONOFTHEINFORMANT'SCODE 94
TABLE5.2:THESAMPLESIZEANDSTRATIFICATIONBYGENERATIONANDSOCIO-ECONOMIC
GROUP 95
TABLE6.1:FIRSTGENERATIONWOMENANDTHEIREXPERIENCEOFUNPAIDANDPAIDWORK
114
TABLE7.1:PAIDWORKUNDERTAKENBYFIRSTGENERATIONWOMEN 147
TABLE8.1:SECONDGENERATION,WORKANDEDUCATIONALLEVEL 178
TABLE8.2:EDUCATIONALLEVELANDWORKAMONGSECONDGENERATIONWOMEN 179
TABLE10.1: EDUCATIONANDWORKOFTHIRDGENERATIONWOMEN 212
TABLE10.2: CLASSESANDWORKAMONGTHIRD GENERATIONWOMEN 222
VIII
List of Figures
FIGURE2.1: MAPOFSAUDIARABIAINCLUDINGTHEREGIONOFASIR 11
FIGURE2.1: THECITYOFABHAINTHE1950 14
FIGURE2.1: MODERNABHA2000 20
FIGURE2.4: mSTORYOFOILPRICE 23
FIGURE2.5: LABOURFORCE,EDUCATIONANDNATIONALITY 26
FIGURE4.1PERCENTAGEDISTRIBUTIONOFEMPLOYEDSAUDISBY
EDUCATIONALLEVELANDGENDER 83
FIGURE6.1:AL-MEEFA(THEFIREWOOD-BURNINGSTOVE) 117
FIGURE6.2:QATTPAINTINGININTHEMIDDLEOFTHEWALL 121
FIGURE6.3:MAPOFOLDABHA 125
FIGURE6.4:WOMENCARRYINGBOUNDLESOFFIRE-WOOD 127
FIGURE6.5:MOUNTAINTERRACESIN'ASIR 132
FIGURE7.1:WOMENCARRYING"GERBAH"(WATERGOAT-SKIN)INTHESTREETSOFABHA 149
FIGURE7.2: FEMALEQATTPAINTERRACTICINGQATTFERSCO 151
FIGURE7.3: QATTPAINTINGINA5STARHOTELINABHA 152
FIGURE7.4: FEMALESHOPKEEPERINTUESDAYMARKETINABHA 154
FIGURE10.1MOUNTAINROADS "AL-'AQABBAH"IN'ASIR 215
FIGURE10.2SAUDIFEMALEDOCTORS 216
IX