From Subjugation to Resilience: The Intersections of Patriarchy, Commodification, and Ethnic Cleansing in Nadia Murad's the Last Girl
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64137/31078729/IJLLH-V2I2P107Keywords:
Resilience, Patriarchy, Feminism, ResistanceAbstract
This paper interrogates the complex intersections between ethnic cleansing, sexual violence in conflict zones, and entrenched patriarchal structures, with particular attention to the dynamics of subjugation and commodification in the text under review. It explores how women survivors, despite enduring dehumanizing violence, transform their pain into agency by resisting, articulating their ordeals and emerging as advocates for other victims. Drawing on feminist scholarship, the paper demonstrates that patriarchal systems institutionalize rigid gender hierarchies which privilege male dominance while relegating women to subordination, legitimizing male control over female bodies. Within contexts of war and conflict, these asymmetrical power relations are intensified, turning women into primary targets of sexual violence deployed as a weapon of domination and control. Ultimately, the paper foregrounds the resilience and resistance of women, highlighting their roles as both survivors and transformative voices within narratives of war.
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