Women and Public Space Beyond the West: Exploring Cultural and Political Dynamics in the Middle East and the Kurdish Context

Abstract

Building on the theoretical foundations of the previous, which explored the socio-spatial dynamics of urban spaces and their potential for women’s empowerment, this chapter turns to the realities of women’s engagement with urban public spaces outside the Western context. We first examined the critical role of public spaces in promoting social interaction, cultural diversity and gender equality, highlighting the need for inclusive urban environments that challenge entrenched gender norms. Chapter 3 extends this analysis to the Middle East and the Kurdish region, examining how cultural, religious and historical factors influence women’s access to and experience of urban public spaces. This research highlights the duality of women’s public life in the Middle East context: the persistent challenges posed by patriarchal ideologies and the transformative opportunities offered by urbanisation, modernisation and globalisation. By focusing on the broader context of the Middle East and the specific experiences of Kurdish women, this chapter illuminates how urban public spaces can serve as arenas for empowerment, resistance, and the redefinition of gender roles in societies strongly marked by tradition and change. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.