Open AccessMale Chauvinism in Afghan Society: An Analysis of A Thousand Splendid Suns
Author(s) -
Waheed Ahmad Khan,
Shaukat Ali,
Gul Zamin Khan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
sir syed journal of education and social research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2706-8285
pISSN - 2706-6525
DOI - 10.36902/sjesr-vol4-iss2-2021(175-180
Subject(s) - afghan , chauvinism , sociology , honor , gender studies , patriarchy , face (sociological concept) , globalization , suns in alchemy , law , political science , social science , politics , physics , optoelectronics , computer science , operating system
The paper is an attempt to analyze the dominant role of the male community in Afghan society. Western Feminists such as Judith Butler claim that all women face the same problems. However, their claim is challenged by Chandra Talpade Mohanty (1991) who is of the view that the claim of universal sisterhood is based on ethnocentricity. This paper analyses the inferior status of women in the patriarchal system of Afghanistan where people live under their cultural code called Pashtunwali. Pashtunwali assigns an active role to the male community under their privileged status while women are restricted to homes. In this society, a man has to be rigid, authoritative and must keep women under his iron hands. A man of weak nerves has no respect in Afghan society; he has to be strong enough to protect the honor of his family. The study is based on textual analysis of Khaled Hosseini's novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, in the light of Mohanty's views (1991). Hosseini (2008) criticizes the marginalized status of women in Afghan society. Though the Afghan society is influenced by globalization which gives some space to women for social activities, male chauvinism remains the main feature of Pashtun culture wherein people are ruled by a male-oriented code of conduct called Pashtunwali.