Contemporary Debates and Historical Identities

Evolving Conceptions of Pluralism and the Future of Women’s Rights in Post-‐Revolutionary Libya

The participation of Muslim women in revolutions across the Arab world has challenged perceptions of their lack of agency. Libya proved no exception, as women provided important practical support for anti-Gaddafi forces. But Libya remains stagnant on gender equality. Women have been restricted to ceremonial roles within the new administration, and the chairman of Transitional Council publicly declared his intention to create an Islamic state governed by sharia. His policies, possibly motivated by the discrepancy between Gaddafi's state feminism and his actual oppression of women, categorically exclude women from meaningful political involvement despite their lauded participation in the revolution. This reflects a broader conflict within Islamic scholarship as reformists clash with fundamentalists over Islam’s capacity for reform.

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