| Abstract:
The increased rate of womens employment and education has
weakened the legitimacy of womens roles in traditional (patriarchal)
families. At the same time, challenges in balancing traditional and modem
roles have contributed to the emergence of a crisis in womens identity. As a
result, there is an urgent need for women to redefine their identity. This
research examines the individual and structural factors that contribute to
womens hesitation in taking on traditional roles, in resisting stereotypical
gender definitions, and womens capacity in redefming social identity. The
research has utilized a survey approach as well as in depth interviews as its
methodology. The results indicate that the structural position of women as
compared with the personal sense of identify has greater influence in
redefining womens social identity and their capacity to resist stereotypical
gender definitions. Additionally, the study indicates that the impact of
education has been greater than the impact of employment on the
redefmition of womens social identity. Religious women, who have attained
higher education, experience a lack of cohesion in their identity. However,
as these women continue with their education, they begin to rethink their
religious and traditional identities, and as a result are able to greatly
overcome the contradictions.
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