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The Afghan Women's Writing Project: a Critical Discourse Analysis Of Nova Southeastern University NSUWorks Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses CAHSS Theses and Dissertations and Dissertations 1-1-2018 The Afghan Women’s Writing Project: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Poetry and Narrative as Conflict Resolution Tools Saghar L. Naghib Nova Southeastern University, [email protected] This document is a product of extensive research conducted at the Nova Southeastern University College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. For more information on research and degree programs at the NSU College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, please click here. Follow this and additional works at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/shss_dcar_etd Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Share Feedback About This Item NSUWorks Citation Saghar L. Naghib. 2018. The Afghan Women’s Writing Project: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Poetry and Narrative as Conflict Resolution Tools. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences – Department of Conflict Resolution Studies. (93) https://nsuworks.nova.edu/shss_dcar_etd/93. This Dissertation is brought to you by the CAHSS Theses and Dissertations at NSUWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of NSUWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Afghan Women’s Writing Project: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Poetry and Narrative as Conflict Resolution Tools by Saghar Leslie Naghib A Dissertation Presented to the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences of Nova Southeastern University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Nova Southeastern University 2018 Copyright © by Saghar Leslie Naghib February 2018 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my mother, Farah Naghib, who entered the banquet hall of eternity on October 16, 2017 at 9:32 am. She was a champion of women’s rights and advocated for my education her entire life. My mother had a passion for Middle Eastern women being one herself. May all women’s voices be honored and heard. Acknowledgments Much gratitude to my mother and father, Farah and Mahmoud Naghib, for their courage and fortitude in sustaining a difficult life of displacement and enduring the hardships of restarting their lives in a foreign country so that my brother and I could live in freedom. I would not have written this dissertation without their constant support and encouragement. Further thanks is extended to my dissertation chair, Dr. Robin Cooper, for not giving up on me when I wanted to give up on myself, and for pushing me forward on this dissertation while grieving my mother’s death. Thank you. Table of Contents List of Figures ................................................................................................................ iv Abstract ........................................................................................................................... v Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 Description of Research Problem ......................................................................... 1 Problem Statement ................................................................................................ 4 Background ........................................................................................................... 5 Definition of Key Terms ..................................................................................... 10 Justification and Rationale .................................................................................. 12 Purpose Statement ............................................................................................... 15 Overview of Methodology .................................................................................. 15 Overview of Theoretical Framework .................................................................. 16 Goals of the study ............................................................................................... 17 Researcher context .............................................................................................. 18 Significance of the Study .................................................................................... 18 Summary of chapter 1 and Preview of Remaining Chapters .............................. 19 Chapter 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................ 21 Background .............................................................................................................. 21 Moral Crimes ...................................................................................................... 22 Religion ............................................................................................................... 24 Violence Against Women ........................................................................................ 27 Having a Voice ................................................................................................... 29 The Taliban ......................................................................................................... 30 i Language ............................................................................................................. 32 Theories ............................................................................................................... 35 Limitations .......................................................................................................... 48 Chapter 3: Research Method ......................................................................................... 49 Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) ......................................................................... 49 Explanation ......................................................................................................... 49 Data Collection ................................................................................................... 51 Qualitative Data Collection & Analysis ............................................................. 52 Timeline .............................................................................................................. 56 Chapter 4: Results ......................................................................................................... 65 Process ................................................................................................................ 65 Findings ............................................................................................................... 67 Child Brides ........................................................................................................ 67 Coverings: Hijab, Niqab, and Burqa ................................................................... 73 Women’s Resistance: Education, Take Your Rights, Civic Duty, Persistence .. 86 Parents and Family: Protectors or Perpetrators ................................................... 95 Writing as Conflict Resolution Tool ................................................................... 98 Stress as a Result of Conflict ............................................................................ 105 Chapter 5: Discussion ................................................................................................. 109 Results Interpreted ............................................................................................ 109 Literature Review .............................................................................................. 111 Limitations ........................................................................................................ 115 Practice-related Contributions .......................................................................... 116 ii Future Research ................................................................................................ 117 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 119 References ................................................................................................................... 120 iii List of Figures Figure 1. Screenshot of Analysis 1 ............................................................................... 57 Figure 2. Screenshot of Analysis 2 ............................................................................... 58 Figure 3. Screenshot of Analysis 3 ............................................................................... 59 Figure 4. Screenshot of Analysis 4 ............................................................................... 60 Figure 5. Screenshot of Analysis 5 ............................................................................... 61 Figure 6. Screenshot of Analysis 6 ............................................................................... 62 Figure 7. Screenshot of Analysis 7 ............................................................................... 63 Figure 8. Screenshot of Analysis 8 ............................................................................... 64 iv Abstract The Afghan Women’s Writing Project (AWWP) emerged in 2009 as a platform through which Afghan women could express their lived experiences and perspectives on a range of culturally relevant
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