Perspectives on Gender Studies at the Universities of Manouba And
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ANTI/THESIS 25 Background information I conducted the initial research project ANTI-THESIS Perspectives exploring instruction in Gender Studies in on Gender Tunisia in 2019. The research project was structured by four partly explorative expert Studies at the interviews about Gender Studies in Tunisia. The initial framework of the Universities of research project was approached from a white queer*feminist theoretical perspec- Manouba and tive, using a qualitative content analysis as Sousse, Tunisia method. Notes on positionalities Today, I greatly criticize my initial research project, especially in terms of questions of situatedness and situated knowledges. I question and try to reflect the conceptual- ization of the fieldwork, mywhiteness and the privileges I benefit(ed) from, and explicitly the Area Studies-driven theoret- ical, scientific practice that I followed and aimed for. For all intents and purposes, one should not unreflectively and uncom- Jamie Woitynek mented build an (academic) career on practices that play into the hands of or are In Tunisia, the University of Manouba and to introduce readers to specific perspec- based on (neo)colonial structures, ideas, the University of Sousse each offered a tives on and narratives about two Gender theories, and methodologies. After due master’s program in Gender Studies in Studies programs. consideration, I decided that this is not 2019. This essay examines these pro- what this article is primarily about. I still grams’ structures and foci, providing Keywords: Gender Studies, Tunisia, added important literature (of resistance) some comments on their contexts. Based Knowledge production, University, on topics connected to the aforemen- on fieldwork including four expert inter- Institutions tioned standpoints and considerations in views, this provides one limited attempt my endnotes. I urge you to read this liter- Middle East – Topics & Arguments # 14 –2020 ANTI/THESIS 26 ature. From my recent perspective, I do Failing and constant (un)learning must be focuses on women in these periods. Ben believe that the interviewee's knowledge, starting points. Hassine founded the program at Sousse their insights and their voices should and University and can be contacted, too.3 can be heard in this format - although the Affiliations Prof. Monia Lachheb is a scholar in sociol- piece will always be tied to (my; a reader's; The research and the process were sup- ogy. Lachheb focuses on the sociology of readers') white perspectives and contrib- ported and attended by the Rosa the body, gender and identity, and utes to (neo)colonial continuities, such as Luxemburg Foundation’s academic coop- non-normative sexualities. Lachheb works the uneven mobility of knowledge. eration program Independent Universities on these topics mainly in the Tunisian Eventually, the piece was written in a par- and the Promotion of Critical Research framework, but also does research on ticipatory attempt and is published in and Teaching in the framework of a Libya and Algeria. Lachheb is normally recent cooperation and consensus with 6-month internship. The article was read affiliated with the University of Manouba, the persons I interviewed at the time. For and edited by the four interviewed schol- but taught a semester in the master’s pro- questions and contacts, their email ars Prof. Amel Grami and Prof. Boutheina gram at Sousse. Lachheb works for the addresses are included in the endnotes. Ben Hassine (two representatives in the French institute IRMC (Institute de master’s programs);1 Prof. Monia Lachheb, Recherche sur le Maghreb Contemporain). Notes on Anti/Thesis a former teacher in the program at Sousse; Naziha Ardhaoui was a master’s student in The Anti/Thesis section usually presents and Naziha Ardhaoui, a (former) student in the program at Manouba University in clearly contesting lines of thought about a the master’s program at Manouba. spring 2019. Ardhaoui studied English and specific subject. This is not so much the Literature. So far, Ardhaoui has worked in case for this article. Yet, the aforemen- About the interviewed scholars training centers, sometimes for founda- tioned structural and contextual problem- Amel Grami is a professor of Gender tions. Ardhaoui’s scientific interest is in atic realities remain and should be further Studies and Islamic Studies at The comparative political sciences and media discussed, especially by the audiences of University of Manouba, Tunisia. Her studies, approached from a feminist and journals like META. So, I urge you to think research focuses on culture, society, reli- Gender Studies perspective. Ardhaoui’s about what I have tried to do with my slot gion and politics in the MENA region and master’s thesis thus examines representa- in this journal. I invite you to like and dis- the Middle East, as well as extremism, tions and the strategic medial use of like it. In my perspective, dealing with Peace Corps volunteering, women, and women in the past electoral campaigns of other forms of methodologies and theo- peace building. Grami founded the pro- Beji Caid Essebsi and Donald Trump. ries can be a starting point, reflecting on gram at the Manouba University and can Ardhaoui has a major interest in qualita- one’s own positionality can be a starting be contacted.2 tive research and fieldwork in Tunisia. point, and stepping back from one’s (con- Prof. Boutheina Ben Hassine is a scholar of ventional) work can be a starting point. history. Ben Hassine is specialized in the Ummayad and medieval period and Middle East – Topics & Arguments # 14 –2020 ANTI/THESIS 27 Structures and foci in the master’s pro- freedom of speech in the Ben Ali period Foci in the master’s programs6 grams and surrounding contexts (3, 9), but also the possibility of using and Interdisciplinarity as foundation Motivations, politics, and freedom of doing Gender Studies as a field of studies All four interviewees point out and ascribe speech in favor of democratic transition and prac- importance to the interdisciplinary struc- Gender Studies has been taught in Sousse tice. Before 2011, censorship and restric- ture of the master’s program and of the since 2017 and in Tunis, Manouba (Faculty tions of academic freedom and freedom teaching and courses. This specifically of Literature, Arts and Humanities) since of speech were quite normalized (Grami appears in a variety of teachers with differ- 2015 (Ben Hassine 3; Grami 8). Gender 3). Gender Studies and gender-related ent disciplinary backgrounds and foci on Studies are therefore situated in the research are therefore a strategic tool for a certain time span (Ben Hassine 6; Grami broader post-2010/11 structures and reali- supporting a democratic transition in the 18; Lachheb 9; Ardhaoui 11). An interdisci- ties of the country. The studies were estab- country in a sustainable vision (Ben plinary structure also appears in the fol- lished quite belatedly, in the opinion of Hassine 6). As such, Gender Studies can lowing emphases of teachers and the one former professor in the master’s pro- be considered one part of a project of dis- master’s programs. grams (Lachheb 5). These formal estab- mantling censorship of and restrictions on lishments came well after the fact: Tunisian freedom of speech (Grami 4, 15). Emphases of teachers and foci in the mas- scholars look back on a long history of On a broader motivational scale, the inter- ter’s programs varying feminist interventions and projects viewees’ standpoints vary. As Ardhaoui The study program in Sousse emphasizes (Lachheb 5; Antonakis 76, 105, 274). points out, Gender Studies serves her as a gender and history (of e.g. human rights, From the moment when Gender Studies tool for defending LGBT5 and minority individual freedoms) and socio-economic were institutionalized until recently, its rights and for fighting for equality and questions (Ben Hassine 4; Lachheb 3), but master’s programs and individuals work- against the patriarchy (Ardhaoui 3, 6). also gender in administration (e.g. man- ing in the field have faced various kinds of According to Lachheb, the field is an insti- agement, fiscality) and law (e.g. the CSP) political attacks (Ben Hassine 6-8; Grami 3, tutional attempt to establish a strand and (Ben Hassine 5). Besides this, there is a 11, 27). According to Grami, the increasing tradition of the subject that is Tunisia’s own focus on gender and identity as they the- strength of conservative and religious pol- (Lachheb 11). Contrastingly, Ben Hassine matically appear in art, literature, lan- itics and policies has an influence on the argues that the subject should be guage, and methods and methodology, potential master’s programs’ finances and extended to more universities in the long as well as in guiding field research (Ben reputation and on the conditions and term (Ben Hassine 3). Grami emphasizes Hassine 4). “Feminine leadership” and practices of freedom of speech (27). the will and need to participate in global trainings are important in Sousse and are Grami addresses the history and experi- feminist knowledge production. This is also offered by partner organizations (Ben ences of freedom4 of and restrictions on framed as a postcolonial necessity with Hassine 6). Violence plays a role as a sub- speech in Tunisian academia in relation to criticism of neo-colonial collaborations ject in both universities, especially in terms the former conditions of research and with partner organizations (Grami 6). of extremism (Ben Hassine 6; Grami 29). Middle East – Topics & Arguments # 14 –2020 ANTI/THESIS 28 The Manouba study program also includes lated tendencies shown above. They example of Tunisian institutions’ financial courses on methods and methodology sometimes treat niche topics such as gen- dependence on global governance bod- (Grami 23). Besides, the Manouba pro- der-transgressive perspectives on arts, ies such as the IMF (International Monetary gram sets goals such as consciousness work on transsexual7 persons in Tunisia, Funds), with its typically restrictive require- and awareness raising and addresses sub- research on female jihadism, and the ments (Maghreb Post, Ben Abid, jects such as gender in feminism, history, migration processes of Yemenite women Chandoul).