Season of Migration to the North: Women Between Tradition and Liberation

Abstract

This article addresses the current friction between the ideals of Western feminism and traditional values adopted by Indigenous/Eastern feminism by analyzing Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih. It criticizes both extreme doctrines: one for imposing individualistic secularism by Western feminism, and the other for the cultural stagnation of the Eastern patriarchy. The analysis demonstrates how both parties perpetuate women's oppression. The novel discloses that true women's empowerment is neither derived from absolute liberation, nor strict adherence to traditions. Instead, it is realized through implementing a mediated approach that synthesizes cultural values with gender equality principles. The article examines the capacity of Islamic feminism to represent this balanced alternative by reinterpreting religious texts. This approach seeks solutions for the manifestations of prejudice without compromising faith. Ultimately, this approach may bridge the gap between traditions and modernity. It grants women the rights and respects they deserve without compromising their cultural identity.