We had a great second discussion of Half the Sky. The book was a great way to start thought-provoking discussions, and everyone who attended our two book club meetings on this book has had something thought-provoking to contribute. One of our attendees this time around was so inspired by the book, she will be going to intern for one of the groups mentioned by Kristoff and WuDunn- Women for Women International ! Hopefully, we will get an email update on her experience soon!
For some highlights of the discussion:
How to Help
A major theme was the complex relationship between the privileged (those of us reading the book) and those about whom/for whom the book was written. For example, a few readers commented on how 'real' and 'intense' the lives of women in the book seemed, particularly when compared to the safe 'cocoon' of comfort that defines life for many of us here in the U.S. Similarly, it struck a number of readers that the stories in Half the Sky - personal, moving, real, brutal, hopeful, shocking stories - jolted them out of a resignation to the way things are, illustrated how small choices can lead to big changes in peoples' lives, provided hope for seemingly hopeless situations. In other words, the stories were effectively presented so that the readers could move beyond despair and hopelessness by taking small, concrete actions to help women struggling across the world. On the other side, this approach can de-contextualize and depoliticize the struggles of women across the globe by removing the roles of feminism(s)/womens movements and related political and legal struggles from the discussion.
For more on this, please read this wonderful blog review of Half the Sky by one of our book club participants. You can also check out HRWs website: whatever the issue you are interested in, their reports provide specific political and legal steps that need to be taken.
Hope
One story particularly caught our interest: the illiterate woman who learned to be a surgeon specializing in fistula repairs. This story was seen as an illustration of how an individual can make a huge difference and evidence for hopeful engagement. But the story is also a beautiful illustration of the complexities surrounding international humanitarianism: the ability of this woman to take on such advanced and complex responsibilities without the (traditionally) requisite years of medical school, her ability to take on this training and move beyond it (she began to pursue her education, learning to read) upend assumptions that the humanitarians are the ones with the power to dispense help and leadership, while the locals are the weak and needy. Such dichotomies are questionable when we see the strength and aptitude of a local woman who becomes a surgeon, and then takes it on herself to learn to read.
To read more about the global issues surrounding access to reproductive health care, start with this HRW document. Also, here is a link to the HRW 2009 report on rape in the DRC (rape and fistulas are addressed).
Intent
We also found that it was important to recognize that the humanitarian impulse is more complex than the image of well-positioned kindly benefactors selflessly reaching out to needy and helpless others. Connecting with the lessons of Emmas War and other books we have read, it was important to recognize that the humanitarian impulse is variously inspired by the intrigue, the adventure, the sense of purpose, and even a need to connect with that 'real' and 'intense' version of life, and to therefore learn something about ourselves through the experiences of the people we set out to help.
Surprise
The story also inspired a citation of Cynthia Enloe's call to embrace surprise, to look for it and learn from it, instead of trying to appear infinitely knowledgeable. The educational timeline of this story -- training as a surgeon, surgical practice, then literacy education -- is not what most outsiders would be likely to prescribe for local illiterate women. It is our surprise at the fact that this woman (an illiterate woman) was able to achieve this type of success (specialized surgical practice) that provides a valuable window into how important it is to learn what is most needed, what is possible, and what is valuable in different environments. It is a reminder that our (instinctual, unconsidered) assumptions (for example: learn to read first, then pick a profession or skill) will not be the most fruitful guide for every occasion.
Religion
We also had an interesting discussion about Islam and traditional religions, and whether they were bad for women, a question that comes up in the book. We explored the connections between the status and role of women in a group or society and the tensions between power distribution, social control, modernity, identity, westernization, fear of change, the desire for authenticity. We discussed the power of tradition in multiple religions and societies, and the variability across time and region that is found the practice of most religions. Certainly, while it is a powerful tool for those who would restrict women's rights, religion is not the only cause of serious violations of women's rights across the globe.
For more reading, there are HRW reports and articles on violence between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria, political crackdowns on religious minorities in Pakistan and Indonesia, the politics of the veil, and specifically the politics of the veil in Belgium, and the reactionary situation in Somalia.
The report on Somalia provides HRW's stance clearly: "Human Rights Watch does not advocate for or against Sharia or any other system of religious law. Rather, we are concerned about preventing and ending human rights abuses in any country, whatever their basis or legal justification."
For June:
For the summer, we will take a break- but please stay tuned for related events, and keep interesting book titles in mind for our list of books to read! Coming up, a film screening that we originally thought would be a great viewing for the book club:
Burma VJ will be shown on June 14th. Email the HRW LA office for more info. Please join us!
as always, comments welcome!
