Abstract
Asmā Ṭūbī, a female Arab intellectual based in the coastal city of ‘Akkā in pre-Nakba Palestine, wrote weekly editorials titled “Nisā’iyyāt” (Women’s issues) for the prominent daily newspaper Filasṭīn from 1943 to 1947. The significance of her writings consisting of over 130 essays has been overlooked by existing research. Thus, this article examines her thoughts on women’s roles and the local Nahḍa nisā’iyya (Women’s awakening), that is, phenomena such as the expansion of girls’ education and women’s increasing participation in the public sphere. It argues that her writings were distinctive in offering a careful and insightful assessment of the local Women’s awakening through her sharp criticism of specific social problems involving educated Arab women. This perspective was in contrast to other contemporary female Arab intellectuals in Palestine, who often stopped short of critically analyzing the Women’s awakening, expressing general optimism. Using Ṭūbī’s writings as a case study, this article contributes to the studies of the cultural and gender history of Palestinian Arab society under the British Mandate.
