L’inchiesta sociale per decostruire il patriarcato in Fatema Mernissi e Nawal El Saadawi

For Fatema Mernissi and Nawal El Saadawi, social inquiry is a tool for deconstructing patriarchy in Islamic societies. These two feminists combine various methods to expose the structures of oppression rooted in culture, religion and politics. Fatema Mernissi (1940–2015) adopts a dual approach: historical-analytical research and sociological fieldwork to document the daily lives of Moroccan women. Nawal El Saadawi (1931–2021) uses social inquiry and medical practice to investigate female genital mutilation and domestic violence through direct observations conducted in Egyptian villages. Both thinkers regard social inquiry, alongside other methods, as a tool to support women’s emancipation.