The Evolution of the Concept of Women’s Social Identity in the Thought of Contemporary Muslim Thinkers

Abstract

The present study was conducted with the aim of understanding the evolution of the concept of women's social identity in the thought of contemporary Muslim thinkers. The significance of this topic stems from the fact that female identity in Islamic societies has consistently been a contested domain among diverse interpretations of religion, tradition, and modernity, with its reflections influencing the social, cultural, and legal policymaking in Muslim societies. The research method is qualitative and based on the grounded theory strategy, which, inspired by the social actors’ approach, has engaged in content analysis of scholarly texts related to the views of contemporary Muslim thinkers. Sampling was carried out theoretically and continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected through library studies and in-depth semi-structured text analysis, and analyzed using the three-stage coding model: open, axial, and selective coding. In this process, key concepts, relevant categories, and the relationships among them were identified and organized to formulate the final theoretical framework. To ensure the reliability of the coding, the intra-subject agreement method between two coders was employed. The findings of the research indicate that the evolution of the concept of women's social identity has emerged through the interaction of causal, contextual, and intervening factors and conceptual strategies in the thought of contemporary Muslim thinkers, and has been reflected in theoretical and social outcomes. This study, by providing an in-depth analysis of diverse perspectives on Muslim women, paves the way for designing indigenous and religious models aimed at women's empowerment and enhancing their social participation.