ABSTRACT
Transnational discourses around gender and sexuality take on multiple, shifting, and contested meanings in an increasingly globalized world. The fluidity of these terms appears especially complicated in geographies where local and cultural complexities fail to mirror western notions and ideals of gender and sexuality. In this context, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region presents a unique context to explore gender/ed dimensions at the intersections of family, career, and work. This extended literature review will unpack the ways of thinking about MENA as reflected in academic research and everyday discourse that inform underlying assumptions with regard to choice, agency, responsibility, and constrained obligation. We introduce transnational feminist as a way to synthesize a snapshot of extant research in the contexts of education and career in MENA countries. We summarize several strategies employed by women in the MENA region to navigate a pull between empowerment and exclusion as they pursue their education and career. We conclude by suggesting several potential areas for future research.
