Women's Employment in Muslim Countries Patterns of Diversity

With the economic position of women in Muslim countries being a regular focus of public attention and a fiercely debated topic amongst academics, few systematic, detailed descriptions and analyses are available. This book presents a new and nuanced exploration of the topic, introducing a theoretical framework that accommodates both women's individual agency as well as cultural, economic, religious, and political forces shaping their position. Collating research findings involving more than 300,000 women in 383 provinces in 28 Muslim countries ranging from the Middle East via Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia to Indonesia in Southeast Asia, the book, based on this wealth of data, shows how many women earn a living outside agriculture, how big the differences in employment likelihood really are, and how these differences can be explained. In doing so it addresses topical debates on the role of Islam, modernization, globalization, neocolonialism, educational inequalities, patriarchy, household hierarchies, and more.

Niels Spierings is Assistant Professor in Sociology at Radboud University and previously worked at the London School of Economics and the University of Essex. His specializations are in political and gender sociology, and research methodology and he publishes on Islam, democratization, women's participation, populism, gender equality, and migration.

PART I: BACKGROUND
1. Introduction: Disconnected Knowledge
2. The Context: Society, Politics And Economy
3. Theoretical Framework: A Holistic Approach To Women's Employment
PART II: A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON EXISTING EXPLANATIONS
4. Hypothesizing Women's Employment In 28 Muslim Countries
5. Measuring Women's Employment In 28 Muslim Countries
6. Describing Women's Employment In 28 Muslim Countries
7. Explaining Women's Employment In 28 Muslim Countries
PART III: NEW ISSUES IN WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT
8. Variations In The Effects Of Education In 28 Countries
9. Patriarchy & Household Configurations In 28 Countries
10. Islam As A Multivocal Influence In Indonesia And Nigeria
11. Globalization, Violence And Shifting Influences In Egypt
PART IV: CONCLUSIONS & DISCUSSIONS
12. Conclusion: Understanding Complexity
13. Society And Policy-Making