From Secular to Islamic Feminism(s): The Development of Moroccan Feminist Ideologies

Abstract

The present paper explores the ways in which secular and Islamic ideologies have emerged and developed as distinct frames of reference for the Moroccan feminist movement. It examines critically the changing meanings of ‘the secular’ and ‘the religious’ and the ways they communicate and manifest in the Moroccan feminist narrative. The aim is to track the development of the two sub-movements referred to as secular feminism and Islamic feminism and analyze their dynamics and ability to adapt to a complex socio-political reality by adopting different ideological approaches to the issue of women’s rights reform. The study of the course of the Moroccan feminist movement and its shift between secular and Islamic feminist discourses helps improve our understanding of feminist theory by observing various feminist expressions in different cultural environments from the ones which are perceived as the native home of feminism. It also helps us examine the influence of local ideological conflicts on feminism and deconstruct these ideologies by detecting their limitations, enabling us to have a clear perception of the nature of the feminist movement today and foresee the prospects of women's rights reform in Morocco and other Muslim-majority societies in the future.