Human Security, Armed Conflict and Religion: The Role of Gender Professor Barbara Einhorn Gender Institute LSE 31 October 2012 Barbara Einhorn 2012

Lecture Sections Human Security and Gender Gender in National Identity Gender and Armed Conflict The Role of Religion Conclusions Barbara Einhorn 2012

Human Security New theories of ‘human security’ – economic and social ‘wellbeing’ – safe and secure living environments Barbara Einhorn 2012

Human Security ‘The ultimate weapon is no weapon’ (Beebe and Kaldor, 2010) – violence prevention – focus on civilians and human rights – political and development processes Barbara Einhorn 2012

Human Security and Gender Need for gender lens – ‘people’ don’t always have common interests – violence as gendered Barbara Einhorn 2012

The Role of Gender Gender as a key variable – analytical and empirical category necessary for understanding conflict Barbara Einhorn 2012

Gender and Feminism Gender without feminist lens insufficient – Gender not about men and women, or even just masculinity and femininity – Issue of politics and power – Structurally unequal power relations Barbara Einhorn 2012

Is a Gender Lens Helpful? Gender as part of problem – Essentialist dichotomous role definitions Gender as part of solution – Understanding how gender integral to politics – First step to overcoming social divisions which lead to exclusions and ultimately conflict Barbara Einhorn 2012

Gender in National Identity Gender and Militarism as twin stabilising factors in national identity – Traditional gendered stereotypes of (heterosexual) masculinity and femininity – Militarism in national identity Barbara Einhorn 2012

Royal Wedding 2011 Barbara Einhorn 2012

Luxembourg Crown Prince Weds Belgian Countess Barbara Einhorn 2012

Changing Nature of Armed Conflict Inter-state to intra-state conflict with non- state actors Distinction frontline/civilian space blurred Differentation between combatant/civilian as gendered male/female respectively confused Humanitarian, ‘secure’ space lost Barbara Einhorn 2012

Gender and Conflict Conflict derives from a process of Othering – Gendered/raced and classed national/religious identities essential to conflict – Liberal multiculturalism sees its Other as ‘essentialist and thereby false’ (Zizek, 2008/9: 125) Barbara Einhorn 2012

Afghan Women in Burkas Barbara Einhorn 2012

Rationalising/Legitimating Conflict Men as participants and perpetrators Women as victims, not political agents Barbara Einhorn 2012

Kosovan Refugees Barbara Einhorn 2012

2003 RAWA Demonstration in Islamabad Barbara Einhorn 2012

Gender and Armed Conflict The gendered ‘Other’ – Hyper-masculinised, brutal ‘terrorists’ – Helpless, oppressed female victims of violence ‘Our’ men and women – ‘Our (brave) boys’ as defenders of the nation – ‘Our’ women as supporting wives Barbara Einhorn 2012

Taliban Fighters Barbara Einhorn 2012

Heroic Firefighters at Ground Zero Barbara Einhorn 2012

Militarised Gender Militarised women as anti-essentialist fig leaf Non-conformist men Conformist vs transgressive femininity – Jessica Lynch vs. Lynndie England ‘Failed’masculinity – Serbian prisoners; male victims of torture in Abu Ghraib, prison run by woman general Barbara Einhorn 2012

Private Jessica Lynch Barbara Einhorn 2012

Lynndie England in Abu Ghraib Prison Barbara Einhorn 2012

The Role of Religion Force for peace or cause of conflict? Are religions inherently patriarchal? Fundamentalism/essentialism? Barbara Einhorn 2012

Religion and Conflict Religion: cause of conflict? – Geo-political or economic causes – Colonial heritage Religion instrumentalised – Religion projected onto actual causes – Forces of (secular, Western) modernity ‘saving’ primitive backward (religious, read: Islamic) cultures Barbara Einhorn 2012

Religion in Crisis The crisis of organised religions – Not theology – Gender and sexuality The headscarf debate – Gender as political accelerator – What is the debate really about? Barbara Einhorn 2012

Turkish Students in Istanbul 2007 Barbara Einhorn 2012

Conclusions Transcending narrow nationalisms – Communication with/compassion towards the ‘Other’ – ‘Other’ within diverse societies ‘Human’ security paradox – Needs to be gender-disaggregated – Essentialist gender binaries need to be overcome Gender equitable societies – Prerequisite for peaceful and socially just world Barbara Einhorn 2012