Resistance, Repression, and Gender Politics in Occupied Palestine and Jordan

Gender, Culture, and Politics in the Middle East

by Frances S. Hasso

This book focuses on the central party apparatus of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the Democratic Front (DF) branches established in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Jordan in the 1970s, and the most influential and innovative of the DF women's the Palestinian Federation of Women's Action Committees in the occupied territories. Until now, no study of a Palestinian political organization has so thoroughly engaged with internal gender histories. In addition, no other work attempts to systematically compare branches in different regional locations to explain those differences. Students of gender and Middle East studies, especially those with a specialty in Palestinian studies, will find this work to be of critical importance. This book will also be of great interest to those working on political protest movements and factional ties.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

231 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2005

Reviews

[Lee Gargagliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really important look at history, social movements, the Middle East, and gender. It's not easy to read, but well worth it. It provides key context of Palestinian political organizations that is completely lost in the false Hamas/Fatah Islamist/secular hard-line/moderate binary of the popular media. It shows how ideologies, especially gender ideologies, shift over time.

The book focuses on the history of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Jordan and occupied Palestine. The history is both inspiring and tragic as the DFLP was incredibly successful at organizing women in Palestine in terms that were articulated by the women themselves. The organizing was very successful for a time, but outside forces ultimately converged to undo much of these successes.

[Lee]

Frances S. Hasso refused to allow me into a class of hers that I needed for my major in college. Nevertheless, I will exhibit more maturity than she showed at the time and read what she has to say about gender, culture, and politics in the middle east. I feel confident it will be a more meaningful experience than taking a class with her.