1. I will begin writing my interview questions, which will be sent out to various NGOs such as War Against Rape (WAR), women rights organizations such as Women’s Forum Action (WFA), political parties such as Jama’at-i-Islami, ulemas, and authors whose work I have read. My interviews will include questions about the justification used for restrictive rape laws, why such laws are targeting towards women etc. Although one can argue that I can get that sort of information by research alone, I think interviewing will narrow down my sources. Since most of my questions will be open-ended, I will be organizing this information in the form of separate journal entries. Later, I will put them in a visual for easier comparison.
2. I will also be reading the following books:
- Women of Pakistan: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back? by Khawar Mumtaz and Farida Shaheeda.
- Purdah and the Status of Women in Islam by Maududi. His philosophy was influential in the incorporation of Hudood Laws in the penal code of Pakistan. That is why I think it is important to understand his views of women.
3. My research goals:
- Find specific instances where misinterpretation of Islamic ideas has led to restrictive laws. This will be expanding on how Zia justified his martial law, how political parties continue to promote Maududi’s ideologies, how local jirgas exploit power to carry out discriminatory verdicts.
- Explore the clash of different legal systems (Sharia vs. secular law) and its implication for victims of rape.
- Research the theme of how Islamic virtues are intertwined with traditional values like purdah. This will shed light on how Hinduism and Mughal’s rule has shaped accepted cultural values.
I have not set exact deadlines yet because I will be doing most of the tasks simultaneously. I will also be reading journal articles and watching documentaries to gather further information.
