Women, Politics and Islam in Kuwait

Abstract

Impediments to the global trend of democratization, particularly in Islamic nations, have been widely debated in the past fifteen years. Scholars disagree as to whether Islam is compatible with democracy; part of the controversy stems from questions pertaining to the extension of citizenship rights, particularly when it comes to women. Debates over the compatibility of women’s empowerment and public participation with Islamic values have intensified, specifically in the Middle East.