Intertwined Histories: Muslim Domesticity and the Harem in the Eyes of a Swedish Nineteenth-Century Protestant Feminist

Abstract: This article delves into the Swedish novelist and feminist Fredrika Bremer’s views on female liberation by exploring her encounter with Muslim women in Jerusalem in the spring of 1859. It argues that Bremer’s program for women’s emancipation evokes similarities between women’s situation in Scandinavia and Palestine. By insisting on such similarities, the author nuances Leila Ahmed’s generalizing claim concerning the differences of interest that existed between European and Middle Eastern women in the nineteenth century, namely that European feminism helped maintain the system of white male dominance. For although Bremer maintains the idea of European superiority, she notices common interests with women in Palestine and upholds her critique of white patriarchy. The structure of the article follows the main themes evoked by Bremer in her conversations with Muslim women, namely religion, freedom of movement, literacy, and marriage. These issues were not innocent topics of conversation, but announced a radical program for female liberation. In order to contextualize Bremer’s account, the article juxtaposes research on women, religion, and family patterns in Scandinavia and the Middle East.