Women in the Saudi Press By Eiman Kurdi 2014 Submitted to Cardiff University in fulfilment for the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Cardiff School of English, Communication and Philosophy Cardiff University 2014 1 Summary This PhD explores the experience of female journalists working in the Saudi Arabian press. It looks at the difficulties they face as women journalists, their motives for working in this area and their writings. The research discusses how the culture gender segregation in Saudi Arabia impacts upon Saudi media representations of gender stereotypes and the role of print media (the press) in exposing women’s issues to the public and forming public opinion. I utilised a media studies’ approach adopting an Islamic feminist perspective. I generated data from in- depth interviews with seven Saudi female journalists working in Saudi press, who discuss female-related topics as well as content analysis of related press articles. The analysis indicated that the Saudi culture of extreme gender segregation has impacted on the experience of female journalists, particularly on their ability to compete with male journalists. As my analysis argues, my participants report experiencing female segregation and discrimination mainly affecting their pay, job opportunities, promotion, availability and access to information. My findings further suggest that the media in Saudi Arabia is the most direct venue for women to express their views and discuss their issues. In accordance with previous studies in the field, my study reveals that Saudi Arabian women interpret feminism within the boundaries of their specific culture and Islamic standpoint. Lastly, I discuss how current political, social and economic reforms in the region, which influence women’s status in the public arena, are reflected in the Saudi press. 2 3 Acknowledgment First I would like to thank God for all his blessings and for giving me the strengths to complete this journey. Cardiff University I cannot give enough thanks to my academic supervisor, Professor Chris Weedon for guiding me through the treacherous sea of thesis writing. I appreciate your insight in cultural theory, gender studies and feminism. Most of all I would like to thank you for your constant support, for being generous with your time and for your mentorship. Thank you to my second supervisor, Professor Radhika Mohanram for your guidance and support. I would also like to express my gratitude to Rhian Rattray, for her continuous advice and support throughout my journey. Appreciation is also due to the Centre of Critical and Cultural Theory faculty and staff for helping me with this research, and for providing me with countless workshops and study groups. Family and Friends I am greatly indebted to my family for their encouragement. My mother Hayat, this study would not have been possible without the support and the love that you have blessed me with. Thank you for the constant prayers and blessings. My husband, Mohammed, I am forever grateful for the interests and beliefs that you have showed in this research. Thank you for being very supportive and kind. My father Hesham who has always believed in me. My brothers and sisters, Alaa, Taghreed, Ehab, Ibrahim and Laila. My in laws, Ibrahim and Hanan, thank you for taking care of my son when I needed to study. Thank you for all the support and the love that you have given me. There are many friends who have supported me throughout the years. A special thank you to Alexandra Sardani, Lama Matar, Barah Bakhsh and Maha Akeel. I would also like to express my gratitude to Fayez Zagzoog, Faris Zagzoog, Maisa Basharahel, Fatimah Barri, Futoon Barri, Reem Essilan, and Wael Tarabzouni. 4 Research participants I would like to express my gratitude to the seven female journalists who agreed to be part of this research. Your input was crucial to my study. Dedication I would like to dedicate this work to my father, Yahya. I am saddened that you are not here to share this milestone with me. You are my source of inspiration. I would also like to dedicate this work to my son Ibrahim, who is my joy. And finally I wish to thank King Abdullah Bin Saud who I believe was a strong advocate of women. He also had established the foreign scholarship program which allowed me and thousands of other Saudi women to study abroad. 5 Contents Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 2 List of Tables .......................................................................................................................................... 8 List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... 8 Chapter One: Women in the Saudi Press: An Introduction .................................................................... 9 Background to the Period Covered by this Research (2009-2014): .................................................. 10 Censorship ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Women and their Current Status in the Press ................................................................................... 16 The Daily Newspapers in Saudi Arabia ............................................................................................ 20 Overview of the Literature on Saudi Female Journalists .................................................................. 26 Chapter Two: Feminism in Saudi Arabia ............................................................................................. 30 Islamic Feminism .............................................................................................................................. 37 The Saudi Women’s Movement and the Use of the Qur’an ............................................................. 38 Feminism and Media in Saudi Arabia ............................................................................................... 42 Western Feminism ............................................................................................................................ 50 Chapter Three: The Representation of Muslim Women in Global Media ........................................... 56 Islamophobia ..................................................................................................................................... 58 The Veil ............................................................................................................................................ 62 Chapter Four: Challenges and Motives ................................................................................................. 66 Female Journalists’ Personal Profiles ............................................................................................... 70 Difficulties and Challenges Faced by Female Journalists in Saudi Arabia ....................................... 72 Reasons Female Journalists Give for their Careers Choices ............................................................. 80 The Factors that Changed the Media in Saudi Arabia ...................................................................... 87 Chapter Five: Content Analysis of the Press in Saudi Arabia .............................................................. 97 Sampling Strategy and Inclusion Criteria ......................................................................................... 98 Why Contemporary Saudi Women Journalists? ............................................................................. 100 Content Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 101 Findings .......................................................................................................................................... 102 The Local Section ........................................................................................................................... 104 6 The Economy and Sport Sections ................................................................................................... 116 Moving Beyond Boundaries ........................................................................................................... 118 Opinion Articles .............................................................................................................................. 125 The Case of Driving: ....................................................................................................................... 131 Chapter six: Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 142 The Reforms.................................................................................................................................... 145 References .......................................................................................................................................... 151 Appendix I ........................................................................................................................................... 178 Interviews ........................................................................................................................................ 178 Appendix II .........................................................................................................................................