Sexual violence in Iraq: Challenges for transnational feminist politics

Al-Ali, Nadje

Abstract

The article discusses sexual violence by ISIS against women in Iraq, particularly Yezidi women, against the historical background of broader sexual and gender-based violence. It intervenes in feminist debates about how to approach and analyse sexual and wider gender-based violence in Iraq specifically and the Middle East more generally. Recognizing the significance of positionality, the article argues against dichotomous positions and for the need to look at both macrostructural configurations of power pertaining to imperialism, neoliberalism and globalization on the one hand, and localized
expressions of patriarchy, religious interpretations and practices and cultural norms on the other hand. Finally, the article reflects on the question of what a transnational feminist solidarity might look like in relation to sexual violence by ISIS.

Citation

Al-Ali, N. (2018). Sexual violence in Iraq: Challenges for transnational feminist politics. European Journal of Women's Studies, 25(1), 10-27. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350506816633723

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 5, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Mar 1, 2016
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Mar 8, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 4, 2016
• Journal: European Journal of Women’s Studies
• Print ISSN: 1350-5068
• Electronic ISSN: 1461-7420
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 25
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 10-27
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1350506816633723