What is the main argument/thesis of the text? In other words, what is the author trying to say?
The author brings out arguments around female reproduction ad how decisions made by women as pertains to their reproductive health and how many children one can sire is highly influenced by societal standards and expectation, especially in traditional Egypt. Things have changed over the years with women now given the power to make choices as regards the sizes of their families. However, most societies still put pressure on women as regards reproduction. The author argues that such societal expectations emanate from the family level where gender roles are defined for boys and girls at an early state. In most societies, including societies in Egypt, women are looked as a caregiver, and their role mainly includes making and taking care of a home ( Bier, 2010) . Men, on the other hand, are providers. Such cultural expectations not only affect a woman's ability to make decisions on their reproductive health but also impacts a woman's productivity economically and impact national issues such as overpopulation directly.
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What kind of evidence is she basing her argument on? By evidence, we mean primary sources.
The sociology theory of functionalism is a common theory which considered the consensus view of the family in detail and acts as evidence of the author's argument. This theory sees the institution of the family as an important organ and the foundation of the society. In 1949, George Peter Murdock conducted a research study which aimed at looking at the social structure. During the study, he studied 250 small and large societies. His finding was that there was a form of family that existed in every society. This implied that the family is a universal unit and refers to an institution which plays important roles in the formation and harmonization of the society. He argued that the family provided a stable environment hence creating a strong emotional bond between children, parents and in turn the society at large.
Some of the essential roles of the family include sexual, reproductive functions, economic roles and educational roles ( Bier, 2010) . Therefore, the primary function of the family is to ensure the continuity of society, both biologically (through procreation), and socially (through socialization). The nature of an individual in the family, given these roles hence changes with the stage in their life. For the children, the family plays the role of orienting them to society and the world. It then plays its role in socialization by ensuring that the children are well located socially. From the parents' point of view, the main function of the family unit is procreation. This is why some cultures put pressure on women to procreate—such distinctions on gender and different gender roles impact leadership in society.
Discussions and debates surrounding family and family issues have been among the most heated in the world. This is so because families touch on all humans and people are passionate about them hence finding it difficult to stand independently on different grounds of their passions for family and the debates. The family is the most basic social unit and is seen as the cornerstone of the society and matters affecting the family hence affect the society. Family structures have been seen to develop over time, especially with industrialization and other social changes. Sociologists have discussed three theories in the study of the family. These include; functionalism which views the family as a positive institution which plays a positive function in the society hence leading to social stability. The feminist theory looks at the family negatively and reproduces patriarchy. Marxism, on the other hand, looks at the family as a socially constructed unit to benefit the middle class in the society.
Like all other societies, Modern Egypt has evolved, especially with modernization taking place across the world. Such changes have been brought about by interactions between society and other societies across the world and largely by western education. Feminism and related movements in Egypt have played a key role in such changes. In modern Egypt, women, especially among the elite, now make decisions regarding their reproduction and their families based on what they feel is best for them.
How is this text related to the idea of “Modern Egypt”?
The modern society is, however changing and moving towards a situation where most women do not want to be associated with the feminist movement ( Goldschmidt JR, 2019) . This does not, however, mean that the women do not support the ideologies of the movement. Most of them still feel that the ideologies of the movement work for their favour and only avoid being associated with the movement. Changes in modern day Egypt societal expectations for women have given women a chance out of what the society expects of them. They now can receive education and even take up leadership roles.
Why do you think it is important to focus on such a subject? How does it add to our understanding of Egyptian history?
It is important to focus on such a topic in understanding Egypt's history because the family acts as a building block of any society. Most things in society including cultural, social and cultural practices as well as leadership emanate from the family. Issues around feminism and the role of women in such a society affect how people behave and how leadership is shaped. Leadership is a key element of a society's history, among other aspects such as cultural and social behaviours. As such, the topic of feminism and the role of women in such society is important in shaping the history of Egypt.
Your opinion: do you like the text? Is it helpful? Or is it difficult or confusing?
In my opinion, it gives a deep explanation of the role of the family in shaping society. The fact that the family is the foundation of a society means that factors affecting the unit end up affecting the whole society. The text is hence helpful as it engages the readers on issues affecting the society such as overpopulation and the role of the family on the same, citizenship, the nature and shape of society as well as role of different genders in a family and how that impacts leadership in the society. The population also plays an important role in shaping a country and determines the kind of problems and solutions a country has for its population. Controlling overpopulation hence requires that women, who make families, are allowed to make decisions that affect their reproductive health without interference from other external sources. By so doing, women are empowered, and the society benefits from controlled population and the economic benefits brought about by women who contribute directly to the economic growth of their countries.
References
Bier, L. (2010). "The Family Is a Factory": Gender, Citizenship, and the Regulation of? Reproduction in Postwar Egypt. Feminist Studies, 36 (2), 404-432. Retrieved April 24, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/27919108
Goldschmidt JR, A. (2019). Modern Egypt . [S.l.]: Routledge.
