Women in Tunisia

Tunisia has always prided itself on the freedom of its women, going back to when the country first gained independence from France. Women in Tunisia have the right to vote, seek office, open businesses, pursue higher education, ask for divorce, get an abortion (before American women could), and the woman's consent is required for marriage (Wikipedia). Also, according to Keljein (LookLex), the women in Tunisia are very friendly to visitors and premarital relations are not as shameful as in other Middle Eastern countries. In recent times, women have even played an integral part in the revolution in Tunisia that sparked the Arab Spring (Beardsley), which is surprising since much of the revolution was led by Islamists, who will likely infringe upon the rights that women enjoyed before. The women are well-educated, though, with a literacy rate of over 71% (Beinhold), which hopefully means that the women will work hard to maintain there previous position in the country. In the end, the women in Tunisia are far better off than many of their Middle Eastern counterparts in terms of progressive policies regarding women in Tunisian society.

Sources:
Beardsley, Eleanor. "In Tunisia, Women Play Equal Role In Revolution : NPR." NPR : National Public Radio. 27 Jan. 2011. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. http://www.npr.org/2011/01/27/133248219/in-tunisia-women-play-equal-role-in-revolution.
Beinhold, Katrin. "Women's Rights a Strong Point in Tunisia." The New York Times. 22 Feb. 2011. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/world/middleeast/23iht-letter23.html.
Kjeilen, Tore. "Tunisia- Relations." LookLex Travel Guides. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. http://looklex.com/tunisia/z_sex_relations.htm.
"Women in Tunisia." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Tunisia.

Religious Traditions in Tunisia

Tunisia has a long history of being open-minded about some of the more strict policies of Islam, namely to do with women and the faith placed in religious leaders. Tunisians place much more faith in their own families and would rather take advice from a family member than from a religious leader. In general, though, the country follows the basic tenets of Islam, with many businesses closing during the daily prayers. The traditional Islamic celebration of Ramadan and the demonstration of Ashdura are also common.

Various religious holidays hold extraordinary importance in Tunisia. One such holiday is the Feast of Sacrifice, which "coincides with the annual pilgrimage to the holy places of Mecca and Medina" (EveryCulture). During this holiday, every household is supposed to sacrifice a ram in the same way Abraham's son was spared as a sacrifice and a ram was used instead. Another festival is the Prophet's Birthday, which is the celebration of the birth of Muhammad. These celebrations seem to hold more significance in Tunisia, although the reason for this appears to be unknown.

While Muslims in Tunisia do have their own set of traditions as compared to other countries, the freedom of religion that is enjoyed in the country allows other beliefs to flourish. There are still pockets of Jews and Christians scattered throughout the country, keeping their own individual faiths and traditions alive in a country that is overwhelmingly Muslim.

Sources:
"Culture of Tunisia - History, People, Clothing, Traditions, Women, Beliefs, Food, Customs, Family." EveryCulture- Countries and Their Cultures. Web. 29 Dec. 2011. http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Tunisia.html.
"Tunisia: Daily Life and Social Customs." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Web. 29 Dec. 2011. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/609229/Tunisia/93667/Daily-life-and-social-customs.
"Tunisia: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette." Kwintessential- Professional Translation Services | Interpreters | Intercultural Communication & Training. Web. 29 Dec. 2011. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/tunisia-country-profile.html.

Islam in Tunisia

Islam first reached Tunisia sometime in the late 7th Century (IslamiCity). In the present day, Tunisia is predominantly Muslim, with some estimates stating the percentage of Muslims as high as 99% of the population. The recent revolt, however, has left the future of Islam in Tunisia unclear. In the past, Islamic fundamentalism was frowned upon, and in face, according to one source, two Islamist groups had their members imprisoned because it was deemed that their practice of religion was disrupting the peace, "with about 2,000 arrested in 1986 and 1987" (NationsEncyclopedia). Their was freedom of religion in Tunisia, and Sharia law was not officially recognized (TunisPro).

Now in Tunisia, the religious and political landscape are unclear. Their is a rise in Islamist activity and in fact, an Islamist party just won in a clear victory in Tunisia (LA Times). It is not clear whether this will cause Sharia law to become part of the nation, but religious practices in Tunisia are sure to be more Islamic-centric. Previously, women were encouraged to be part of society and Tunisia was well-known for its freedom for women and freedom of religion, but it is likely that with an Islamist group in power, the country will become much more conservative in its religious practices in regards to women and accepting other religions other than Islam. While there seems to be pessimism towards the rise of an Islamist movement, it seems doubtful that the people of Tunisia would go from one form of government to another, more restrictive government that does not allow the same freedoms enjoyed before. Therefore, I am hopeful that the people will not accept restrictions on their religious freedom and will not allow an oppressive regime sway their beliefs.

Sources:
"Islamic History in Arabia and Middle East." IslamiCity.com - Islam & The Global Muslim ECommunity. Web. 28 Dec. 2011. http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/ihame/Sec4.htm.
"Moderate Islamist Party in Tunisia Takes Wide Election Lead - Latimes.com." Blogs - Latimes.com. Web. 28 Dec. 2011. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/10/moderate-islamist-party-in-tunisia-takes-wide-election-lead-.html.
"Religions - Tunisia." Encyclopedia of the Nations - Information about Countries of the World, United Nations, and World Leaders. Web. 28 Dec. 2011. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Tunisia-RELIGIONS.html.
"Tunisia 2011: Religion in Tunisia - Islam & Sharia, Muslim, Faith." TunisiaInfo 2011 - Actual Information about Tunisia. Web. 28 Dec. 2011. http://www.tunispro.net/tunisia/religion-in-tunisia.htm.
"Tunisia: Country Profile - Tunisia Economy, Government, Religion and Military." Middle East News and Issues from About.com. Web. 28 Dec. 2011. http://middleeast.about.com/od/tunisia/p/me071210.htm.

Religion in Tunisia

Tunisia is an interesting case to study, since one can observe the Tunisia of only last year and see the freedom to practice religion in a "nation that prides itself as the most pro-women's-rights country in the Arab world" (Fleishman and Sandels), but just a year later, their is a rise of Islamist tendencies in the policy of the country. Tunisia was the first country to revolt in a series of revolutions called colloquially the "Arab Spring," which has resulted in an interim government that is trying to plan the future of the country. Before, Islam, the most popular religion in Tunisia, was considered the official state religion and the president was required to be Muslim, according to the US State Department. However, many of the more conservative practices of Islam were frowned upon, such as wearing headscarves in public and other similar activities. Additionally, small sects of Christians and Jews were also prevalent in many regions of the country, although they were mostly foreigners. The lack of a strict adherence to Islamic principles in society never caused conflict and neither did the presence of other religions, before the revolution that overthrew the autocratic president of Tunisia. Now, the outlook is much less clear, since many people in Tunisia support an Islamist form of government similar to Turkey's, according to the LA Times. Since 98% or more of the country is Muslim, it seems plausible that Tunisia may be less progressive in its views on women's rights as a more conservative, Islamic government takes over, but Tunisia is also known for being well-educated. Therefore, it is my hope that the people of Tunisia will continue their policy of freedom of religion and women's rights due to their high education status and not allow their religion to sway their judgement of others.

Sources:
"CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. Web. 23 Dec. 2011. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ts.html.
Fleishman, Jeffrey, and Alexandra Sandels. "In Tunisia, Where Arab Spring Began, Some Fear Rise of Islamists - Los Angeles Times." The Los Angeles Times. 22 Oct. 2011. Web. 23 Dec. 2011. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/22/world/la-fg-tunisia-arab-spring-20111023.
Kjeilen, Tore. "Tunisia / Religions - LookLex Encyclopaedia." LookLex. Web. 23 Dec. 2011. http://looklex.com/e.o/tunisia.religions.htm.
"Tunisia." U.S. Department of State. Web. 23 Dec. 2011. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90222.htm.

Food and Hospitality

Brik, a Tunisian appetizer reminiscent of its days as a French colony (From promotunisia.com)
Foods:
Traditional foods in Tunisia include lablabi, a type of chickpea soup, asida, a sometimes sweet, cooked ball of dough, and brik, a stuffed pastry-style appetizer, usually filled with fish, egg, vegetables, and herbs. One common ingredient in each of these is some sort of bread, which is a common theme throughout all Middle Eastern cuisine. Also, the use of seafood reflects the geography of Tunisia, which borders the Mediterranean. Eggs are also common in many foods from Tunisia, probably because they are cheap and easily accessible sources of protein for the people of the country, which is mostly desert.

Hospitality:
I found a personal account of the hospitality of the people of Tunisia as given by a man hitchhiking his way around Tunisia. He relates how he was in a restricted area and a guard came up and told him to leave, but the man says that he ended up talking to the guard and took a picture with the guard. Once they left the restricted area, the guard invited the man and his companion for lunch, which was a simple meal of mostly bread. Then, the man stayed the night at a Muslim family's house who he had just met that day, yet the family provided him with a hearty meal, which ended in the traditional manner with mint tea. The family wasn't even wealthy enough to have a bathroom with running water inside the house and the only tap water was a single spout outside the house. Despite this, the family was very welcoming and provided the man with anything he could want. I believe this personal account of the hospitality of the people of Tunisia says more than any generalization about the culture ever could, and how no matter what, they will provide for their guests.

Sources:
"Lablabi." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 22 Dec. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lablabi.
"Tunisia Cuisine and Food." Promoting Tunisia as a Cultural Travel Destination and Assisting US Companies with Direct Investment Opportunities in Tunisia. Web. 22 Dec. 2011. http://www.promotunisia.com/gastronomy.html.
Wijesuriya, Vajira. "Wonderful Hospitality of a Tunisian Family and Hitchhiking in the Ksour." TravelBlog. 11 Nov. 2009. Web. 22 Dec. 2011. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tunisia/Tataouine/blog-351247.html.

Geography of Tunisia

Interesting note on the map is the city of "Tataouine," whose name bears a remarkable resemblance to the planet Tatooine from Star Wars, and both are desert regions.

Notable geography in Tunisia includes:
The Chott el Jerid, a massive salt lake in western Tunisia
Jebel ech Chambi, the highest peak in Tunisia, which stands at 1,544 m tall, or just under a mile
The Atlas mountain range, whose easternmost point runs along northern Tunisia

Sources:
"CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ts.html.
"HowStuffWorks "Maps of Tunis Topographic Map"" HowStuffWorks "Maps" Web. 21 Dec. 2011. http://maps.howstuffworks.com/tunis-topographic-map.htm.
"Physical Map of Tunisia." Free World Maps - Physical Maps. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. http://www.freeworldmaps.net/africa/tunisia/map.html.
"Physical Map of Tunisia and Tunisian Physical Map." Ezilon.com - Regional Web Directory and Search Engine. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. http://www.ezilon.com/maps/africa/tunisia-physical-maps.html.

Stereotypes of Tunisia

Tunisia is not widely publicized or known in the US, other than the fact it's an oil-producing country. The closest depiction of Tunisia I have seen was in the Bourne series, where the protagonist travelled to Morocco, which I assumed was similar to Tunisia. The movie shows Morocco as a poor, chaotic place where the buildings all look dilapidated and the streets filled with pot-holes. Since the country is in Northern Africa, I assumed the country was all desert. In fact, Tunisia has a very diverse geography and economy, with coastal towns attracting tourism and mining towns scattered throughout (Wikipedia). While there is a fair amount of desert, there are also mountains and agricultural plains in the country. Tunisia is also a primarily Arabic nation, although it was once a French colony (Wikipedia), which would suggest that the country would be politically volatile, but the government is surprisingly stable. The country ranks near the middle for most landmarks of civilization, such as health care and infrastructure (CIA World Factbook), which is surprising since it is so under-represented in the media, meaning that one would expect it to be near the bottom. Tunisia seems to go against many stereotypes of African and Arabic nations, but there are sure to be some that are true.

Sources:

"Tunisia." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 20 Dec. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisia.

"CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. Web. 20 Dec. 2011. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ts.html