Women's entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia: Feminist solidarity and political activism in disguise?

This paper is a longitudinal study that uses insights from postcolonial feminism to explore women's entrepreneurship as political form of feminist organizing for social change in Saudi Arabia. Postcolonial approaches challenge Western feminism, which can obscure the diversity lived experiences, agency, and activism. Through Bayat's (2013) theory “quiet encroachment,” I identify ways contemporary conceptualizations solidarity movements have dismissed “Other” “silent,” protracted (dis)organized activism parts Middle East. By exploring how women utilized their entrepreneurial space legitimate platform change, aim enrich understanding through everyday practices, allow them quietly encroach onto previously forbidden space. The findings exemplify “quietly” developed over time three-step process—from entrepreneur aiming empower within organization, developing consciousness network, becoming “political activist” lobbying policy changes women. These practices West's relationship with “the Other,” reveal must be explored its own context order fully appreciate global potential.