| Study ID | 07 |
| Study title | Feminisms in Post-Socialist Muslim Contexts |
| Study language | English |
| Institution(s) | University of Sarajevo, Centre for interdisciplinary postgraduate studies, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71 000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (a) |
| Authors | Zilka Spahić-Šiljak (PI) (a) Lamia Kosovic Gorana Mlinarević Jasmina Čaušević Dženita Hrelja Sead Fetahagić Lejla Somun-Krupalija Ardiana Gashi Nejra Čengić |
| Disciplines | Other: Gender and feminist studies, religious studies |
| Period | December 2010-April 2012 |
| Geographical space | Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo |
| Abstract | The discussion on intersection of female, feminist and religious identities and the way women position themselves toward these identities was the subject of fourteen focus groups composed of women who are members of women’s organizations, both secular and religious, and twelve life stories of women who are prominent public figures and advocates for women’s human rights, all of them recommended by the focus group participants because of their reputations in BiH and Kosovo. |
| Results | Focus groups understanding of a woman’s, Muslims and feminist
identity: a) Guardian of, and educator in, the private domain b) Dancing to two beats – maintaining the delicate balance of dancing with one foot to the rhythm of the private sphere while shaking the other to the rhythm of public life. c) Gender-neutral positioning – Some women, find gender-neutral positioning and avoidance of all stereotypes and limitations that attend the identities of women in patriarchal societies as the way out. Gender-neutral positioning can be understood to derive both as the result of inherited ideology (Communism taught women not to separate their needs from those of men but to fight together for their class interests) and as a reaction to the imported ideologies of western cultural feminism, which represent women as victims—in other words, losers—in the process of economic transformation. d) Differences in being a woman under socialism and post-socialism – BiH participants often referred to the socialist period, which had at least some positive impact on their emancipation. Women in Kosovo, in contradistinction, rarely mentioned that period, as if it was not all that important to them or as if they did not wish to recall it. Researched further memory politics regarding the socialist period. Secularized Muslims Most participants from BiH and Kosovo can be described as secularized Muslims because they regard Islam mostly as their “common culture”. |
| Method description | Desk analysis of the relevant literature, focus groups and interviews were conducted. Data collection mode: PAPI, all focus group sessions and interviews are conducted face to face and notes are taken directly during the focus groups. Interviews are recorded and transcribed and thematically analyzed. Data are recorded for the interviews and notes are made during the focus group interviews and then formatted into charts thematically. During the focus groups we each participant had a number not a name, and when notes are made they had numbers for each focus group. |
| Publications | Spahić-Šiljak, Zilka. 2015. Contesting Female, Feminist and Muslim Identities: Post-socialist Contexts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. Centre for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies of the University of Sarajevo (CIPS), pp.277. Translated into Bosnian by Aida Spahic and in Albanian by Besa Ismaili. Online: http://www.pecob.eu/contesting-female-feminist-muslim-identities-postsocialist-contexts-bosnia-herzegovina-kosovo |
| Secondary analyses | None |
| Study type | Mandated research |
| Financed by | Mandating institution |
| Mandating institution(s) | University of Fribourg, Interfaculty Institute for Central and Eastern Europe, Regional Research Promotion Programme in the Western Balkans – RRPP, Bd de Pérolles 90, 1700 Fribourg |
| Progress | Finished |
| Start – end date | 01.12.2010 – 01.04.2012 |
| Data type 01 | Qualitative data |
| Media 01 | Digitalized documents |
| Available document types 01 | Publications (final report, articles) |
| Linked to 01 | Dataset 07_01 – Feminisms in Post-Socialist Muslim Contexts |
| Remarks 01 | Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina – focus groups |
| Analysis unit 01 | Individual Group |
| Mode of data collection 01 | Face-to-face interview (CAPI, CAMI, PAPI, etc.) |
| Data collection instruments 01 | Other |
| Number of cases 01 | – |
| Sampling description 01 | – |
| Data type 02 | Qualitative data |
| Media 02 | Digitalized documents |
| Available document types 02 | Publications (final report, articles) |
| Linked to 02 | Dataset 07_02 – Feminisms in Post-Socialist Muslim Contexts |
| Remarks 02 | Qualitative data for Kosovo – focus groups |
| Analysis unit 02 | Group |
| Mode of data collection 02 | Face-to-face interview (CAPI, CAMI, PAPI, etc.) |
| Data collection instruments 02 | Other |
| Number of cases 02 | – |
| Sampling description 02 | – |
| Data type 03 | Qualitative data |
| Media 03 | Digitalized documents |
| Available document types 03 | Publications (final report, articles) |
| Linked to 03 | Dataset 07_03 – Feminisms in Post-Socialist Muslim Contexts |
| Remarks 03 | Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina – life story analysis |
| Analysis unit 03 | Individual |
| Mode of data collection 03 | Face-to-face interview (CAPI, CAMI, PAPI, etc.) |
| Data collection instruments 03 | Other |
| Number of cases 03 | – |
| Sampling description 03 | – |
| Available versions | 1.0 |
| Bibliographical citation | Zilka Spahić-Šiljak, Lamia Kosovic, Gorana Mlinarević, Jasmina Čaušević, Dženita Hrelja, Sead Fetahagić, Lejla Somun-Krupalija, Ardiana Gashi, Nejra Čengić: Feminisms in Post-Socialist Muslim Contexts, 2010 [Dataset]. University of Sarajevo – Centre for interdisciplinary postgraduate studies. Distributed by DASS-BIH, Sarajevo. |
| Access category | Restricted |
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