The New Women Project and the Crisis of Cultural Fission in Contemporary Arab Thought

In Arab culture, women are often viewed as "the other" in relation to men, a posi-tion that is shaped by the dominance of male authority. This patriarchal structure has historically denied women autonomy, treating them as subordinate to men. This has prompted contemporary Arab thinkers like Qasim Amin to advocate for the "liberation of women," aiming to purify Arab culture and imagination from the pre-Islamic paradigm that relegated women to mere biological property. Reformist thinkers such as Tahir Haddad have championed the cause of women’s rights, call-ing for liberation from the oppressive male cultural heritage. This philosophical approach seeks to establish women as independent selves in a globalized world, where multiple cultures and identities influence collective values and habits. The ultimate goal is to empower Arab women through their own agency, recognizing that true liberation can only come from within.