Veiling careers: comparing gendered work in Islamic and foreign banks in Pakistan

Chaudhry, Shafaq; Priola, Vincenza

doi:10.4337/9781785365607.00035

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…The practice of purdah varies across and within Muslim countries and goes beyond religious practice, it affects women's sense of self, and the possibilities and modalities within which they engage in work relationships (Chaudhry and Priola, 2018; Masood, 2019). The boundaries of modesty and dress are affected by economic, political and social factors (Patel, 2012), as women and men engage with this practice differently according to differences across classes, rural/urban regions and practices of religion (Critelli, 2010).…”

Section: Gender and Islammentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Social imperatives (such as motherhood and domesticity) often appear to conflict with the practices of western‐owned organizations (Nemoto, 2013; Ogden, McTavish and McKean, 2006), and these tensions might affect Pakistani women to a greater extent than women in the global north. The consequences linked to the disregard of modesty norms can affect women's lives well beyond the walls of their organizations (Chaudhry and Priola, 2018). In an organizational culture where career and salary are directly affected by sales performance, women find themselves in a subordinate position to men, with no clear possible alternatives for change.…”

Section: Doing Modestymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Unveiling Modest Femininities: Sexuality, Gender (In)equality and Gender Justice

Priola

Chaudhry

2020

British J of Management

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This paper theorizes the juxtaposition between gender justice and gender equality within Islamic feminism, through the empirical analysis of gender practices in Pakistani banks. Theoretically grounded within Islamic feminism and informed by secular feminism, the paper discusses the findings emerging from two ethnographic studies aimed at exploring the influence of 'religiously motivated' patriarchal norms on experiences of gender inequalities in financial institutions in Pakistan. The research reveals that distinct practices and expectations exist in different organizations, specifically in the context of Islamic banks when compared with western banks operating in Pakistan. Gender oppression thus assumes different meanings, as gender norms and sexualities are differently negotiated by women and men in the two banks. While the Islamic bank enforces gender segregation and isolation and limits interaction among the genders according to orthodox Islamic practices, the multinational western bank provides a more equal and integrated work environment, though we observed the exploitation of femininities to pursue business objectives. The discussion further theorizes Islamic feminism by problematizing gender justice and its relation to gender equality in Pakistani workplaces and society.

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