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A Delicate Balancing ActWomen’s Rights and US Military Intervention in the Arab World

A Delicate Balancing ActWomen’s Rights and US Military Intervention in the Arab World Historically Arab regimes have played critical roles in securing women’s rights in their societies. Yet regimes remain concerned about domestic, especially Islamist and traditionalist, reactions to women’s rights. When regimes feel they can overcome this resistance they honor commitments to women’s rights. When they fear more domestic opposition they renege. This article argues that Arab regimes are less likely to resist domestic opposition to women’s rights when US military presence increases in the region. The authors test the argument using cross-national data including an original expert-coder scale of Islamist power, and estimate an instrumental variable model to allay concerns of endogeneity. A case study of Jordan explicates their causal argument. The results are robust to different measures of Islamist strength and to different estimation techniques. Understanding this unintended consequence of US military deployments to the Arab world is important for future analysis of female empowerment in the Arab world. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Middle East Women's Studies Duke University Press

A Delicate Balancing ActWomen’s Rights and US Military Intervention in the Arab World

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Copyright
Copyright © 2021 by the Association for Middle East Women’s Studies
ISSN
1552-5864
eISSN
1558-9579
DOI
10.1215/15525864-9306874
Publisher site
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Abstract

Historically Arab regimes have played critical roles in securing women’s rights in their societies. Yet regimes remain concerned about domestic, especially Islamist and traditionalist, reactions to women’s rights. When regimes feel they can overcome this resistance they honor commitments to women’s rights. When they fear more domestic opposition they renege. This article argues that Arab regimes are less likely to resist domestic opposition to women’s rights when US military presence increases in the region. The authors test the argument using cross-national data including an original expert-coder scale of Islamist power, and estimate an instrumental variable model to allay concerns of endogeneity. A case study of Jordan explicates their causal argument. The results are robust to different measures of Islamist strength and to different estimation techniques. Understanding this unintended consequence of US military deployments to the Arab world is important for future analysis of female empowerment in the Arab world.

Journal

Journal of Middle East Women's Studies – Duke University Press

Published: Nov 1, 2021

References

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    Ackerman, Spencer
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    Al-Atiyat, Ibtesam Barari, Hassan
  • al-Khitab al-nisawi al-Saudi ma bayn al-Hawaiyya al-Khasusiya al-thiqafiya
    Al-Fassi, Hatoon
  • The Localized and Spatial Effects of US Troop Deployments on Host-State Defense Spending
    Allen, Michael VanDusky-Allen, Julie Flynn, Michael E.
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    Assaf, David Nanes, Stefanie
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    Belasco, Amy
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    Bell, Sam R. Clay, K. Chad Machain, Carla Martinez.
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    Bookmiller, Robert
  • Women in Conflicts: Their Gains and Their Losses
    Bop, Codou Meintjes, Sheila Pillay, Anu Turshen, Meredith
  • International Politics and the Spread of Quotas for Women in Legislatures
    Bush, Sarah
  • Anti-Americanism, Authoritarianism, and Attitudes about Women in Politics: Evidence from a Survey Experiment in Jordan
    Bush, Sarah Sunn Jamal, Amaney A.
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    Cassola, Adele Raub, Amy Foley, Danielle Heymann, Jody
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    Charrad, Mounira
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    Clark, Janine
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    Dijkstra, A. Geske
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    Donno, Daniela Kreft, Anne-Kathrin
  • Personal Status Law in Egypt
    Fawzy, Essam Welchman, Lynn
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    Finkel, Steven E. Pérez-Liñán, Aníbal Seligson, Mitchell A.
  • Islamists in the Arab World: The Dance around Democracy
    Fuller, Graham E.
  • Islamist Perceptions of US Policy in the Middle East
    Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck Lesch, David
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    Hafner-Burton, Emilie
  • Bargaining with the Devil: States and Intimate Life
    Hasso, Frances S.
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    Hatem, Mervat
  • State Power, Religion, and Women’s Rights: A Comparative Analysis of Family Law
    Htun, Mala Weldon, Laurel
  • Work and Power: The Connection between Female Labor Force Participation and Female Political Representation
    Iversen, Torben Rosenbluth, Frances
  • The Gender Gap in Attitudes and Beliefs about the Place of Women in American Political Life: A Longitudinal, Cross-Generational Analysis
    Jennings, M. Kent
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    Johnson, Penny Welchman, Lynn
  • Does Foreign Aid Promote Democracy?
    Knack, Stephen
  • Do Muslims Vote Islamic?
    Kurzman, Charles Naqvi, Ijlal
  • The Improvement of Women’s Rights in the Arab World: The Importance of Governing Authorities
    Langohr, Vickie Jamal, Amaney Kadhim, Abbas
  • Some Social Requisites of Democracy
    Lipset, Seymour
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    López-Córdova, J. Ernesto Meissner, Christopher M.
  • The Effect of US Troop Deployment on Host States’ Foreign Policy
    Machain, Carla Morgan, Clifton
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    Masoud, Tarek Jamal, Amaney Nugent, Elizabeth
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    Moghadam, Valentine
  • Fighting Honor Crimes: Evidence of Civil Society in Jordan
    Nanes, Stefanie E.
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    Norrander, Barbara Wilcox, Clyde
  • Gender Equality in the Muslim Majority States and Sharia Family Law: Is There a Link?
    Rahman, Fatima Z.
  • Money with a Mean Streak? Foreign Economic Penetration and Government Respect for Human Rights in Developing Countries
    Richards, David Gelleny, Ronald Sacko, David
  • Oil, Islam, and Women
    Ross, Michael
  • Who Opened the Window? Women’s Activism in Islamist Parties
    Schwedler, Jillian Clark, Janine
  • The Global Impact of Quotas: On the Fast Track to Female Representation
    Tripp, Aili Mari Kang, Alice
  • The Mixed Impact of Feminist Struggles in Egypt during the 1990s
    Zuhur, Sherifa
  • Obama Restores US Military Aid to Egypt over Islamic State Concerns
    Ackerman, Spencer
  • Liberating Women with Islam? The Islamists and Women’s Issues in Jordan
    Al-Atiyat, Ibtesam Barari, Hassan
  • al-Khitab al-nisawi al-Saudi ma bayn al-Hawaiyya al-Khasusiya al-thiqafiya
    Al-Fassi, Hatoon
  • The Localized and Spatial Effects of US Troop Deployments on Host-State Defense Spending
    Allen, Michael VanDusky-Allen, Julie Flynn, Michael E.
  • The Women’s Quota in Jordan’s Municipal Councils: International and Domestic Dimensions
    Assaf, David Nanes, Stefanie
  • Troop Levels in the Afghan and Iraq Wars, FY2001–FY2012: Cost and Other Potential Issues
    Belasco, Amy
  • The Effect of US Troop Deployments on Human Rights
    Bell, Sam R. Clay, K. Chad Machain, Carla Martinez.
  • Abdullah’s Jordan: America’s Anxious Ally
    Bookmiller, Robert
  • Women in Conflicts: Their Gains and Their Losses
    Bop, Codou Meintjes, Sheila Pillay, Anu Turshen, Meredith
  • International Politics and the Spread of Quotas for Women in Legislatures
    Bush, Sarah
  • Anti-Americanism, Authoritarianism, and Attitudes about Women in Politics: Evidence from a Survey Experiment in Jordan
    Bush, Sarah Sunn Jamal, Amaney A.
  • Nation Building and Women: The Effect of Intervention on Women’s Agency
    Caprioli, Mary Douglass, Kimberly Lynn
  • Where Do Women Stand? New Evidence on the Presence and Absence of Gender Equality in the World’s Constitutions
    Cassola, Adele Raub, Amy Foley, Danielle Heymann, Jody
  • Gender in the Middle East: Islam, State, Agency
    Charrad, Mounira
  • ‘Honor Crimes’ and the International Spotlight on Jordan
    Clark, Janine
  • Changing Attitudes toward the Male Breadwinner, Female Homemaker Family Model: Influences of Women’s Employment and Education over the Lifecourse
    Cunningham, Mick
  • Revisiting UNDP’s GDI and GEM: Towards an Alternative
    Dijkstra, A. Geske
  • Authoritarian Institutions and Women’s Rights
    Donno, Daniela Kreft, Anne-Kathrin
  • Personal Status Law in Egypt
    Fawzy, Essam Welchman, Lynn
  • The Effects of US Foreign Assistance on Democracy Building, 1990–2003
    Finkel, Steven E. Pérez-Liñán, Aníbal Seligson, Mitchell A.
  • Islamists in the Arab World: The Dance around Democracy
    Fuller, Graham E.
  • Islamist Perceptions of US Policy in the Middle East
    Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck Lesch, David
  • Trading Human Rights: How Preferential Trade Arrangements Influence Government Repression
    Hafner-Burton, Emilie
  • Bargaining with the Devil: States and Intimate Life
    Hasso, Frances S.
  • Economic and Political Liberalization in Egypt and the Decline of State Feminism
    Hatem, Mervat
  • State Power, Religion, and Women’s Rights: A Comparative Analysis of Family Law
    Htun, Mala Weldon, Laurel
  • Work and Power: The Connection between Female Labor Force Participation and Female Political Representation
    Iversen, Torben Rosenbluth, Frances
  • The Gender Gap in Attitudes and Beliefs about the Place of Women in American Political Life: A Longitudinal, Cross-Generational Analysis
    Jennings, M. Kent
  • Palestinian Interim Governance: State Legitimation, Legal Reform, and the Shariʾa
    Johnson, Penny Welchman, Lynn
  • Does Foreign Aid Promote Democracy?
    Knack, Stephen
  • Do Muslims Vote Islamic?
    Kurzman, Charles Naqvi, Ijlal
  • The Improvement of Women’s Rights in the Arab World: The Importance of Governing Authorities
    Langohr, Vickie Jamal, Amaney Kadhim, Abbas
  • Some Social Requisites of Democracy
    Lipset, Seymour
  • The Globalization of Trade and Democracy, 1870–2000
    López-Córdova, J. Ernesto Meissner, Christopher M.
  • The Effect of US Troop Deployment on Host States’ Foreign Policy
    Machain, Carla Morgan, Clifton
  • Using the Qurʾan to Empower Arab Women? Theory and Experimental Evidence from Egypt
    Masoud, Tarek Jamal, Amaney Nugent, Elizabeth
  • Feminism, Legal Reform, and Women’s Empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa
    Moghadam, Valentine
  • Fighting Honor Crimes: Evidence of Civil Society in Jordan
    Nanes, Stefanie E.
  • The Gender Gap in Ideology
    Norrander, Barbara Wilcox, Clyde
  • Gender Equality in the Muslim Majority States and Sharia Family Law: Is There a Link?
    Rahman, Fatima Z.
  • Money with a Mean Streak? Foreign Economic Penetration and Government Respect for Human Rights in Developing Countries
    Richards, David Gelleny, Ronald Sacko, David
  • Oil, Islam, and Women
    Ross, Michael
  • Who Opened the Window? Women’s Activism in Islamist Parties
    Schwedler, Jillian Clark, Janine
  • The Global Impact of Quotas: On the Fast Track to Female Representation
    Tripp, Aili Mari Kang, Alice
  • The Mixed Impact of Feminist Struggles in Egypt during the 1990s
    Zuhur, Sherifa