Rethinking Gender in the New Muslim Public Shpere

Taking the observation that the widespread return of religion in 'secular' modernity gives evidence to its growing role in society and politics, this study examines ways in which Islamic values are created, reformulated and fed into new perceptions. Aided by the proliferation of mass media in the modern world, and situated outside the control of state authorities, the new satellite television, contributes in creating a 'new Muslim public sphere' that is expanding in numbers as well as diversity of opinions. Many studies have been engaged in examining this 'new Muslim public sphere' in Egypt, and its connotations, however, the gender dimension was given minor recognition. Accordingly I aim at, particularly, providing a gendered perspective in relation to relevant theories of the public sphere as well as their feminist critiques. I focus on young Egyptian women audience in relation to this 'new Egyptian Muslim public sphere' through their use of media in their everyday life, and how does the accessibility to these new forms of media facilitate the formation of counter-public spheres in which those women voice their concerns and articulate their experiences.