This course examines the particularities of gender in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with an emphasis on the role of religion, law, culture, economy, and societal norms in shaping these gender dynamics. The course aims to familiarize students with the region’s historical, socio-political, and cultural contexts that influence current gender-related discourses and practices. Topics include the construction of patriarchy, women’s agency and empowerment, LGBTQA+ politics and criminalization, honor and veiling, legalization and normalization of gender-based violence, and patterns of resistance. Through reading a selection of memoirs, autobiographies, manifestos, and scholarly articles, students will gain an understanding of how power relations and authoritarian systems manifest in body politics, gender roles, and the suppression of sexuality. We will also explore the progress achieved by human rights organizations, Western interventions, and local feminist movements.