The Interplay of Space and Gender in the City of Mostaganem, Algeria

ABSTRACT: This paper probes the following questions: 1) to what extent do the conceptualisation and implementation of space/place express and sustain certain hegemonic hierarchies that normalise socio-cultural divisions in Arab Algerian environment of Mostaganem City? 2) What tools are utilised as means of space exclusion? 3) Is there a possibility of recreating new spaces for women, by making them occupy existing men’ spaces or revalorise unexploited spaces? (4) And ultimately, how much (dis)empowering space is for women? In relation to these questions, three postulations are advanced: (1) The Arab Algerian culture is drastically male-oriented and space appropriation only validates such culturally hammered circumstance. (2) Harassment by verbal violence is the main and most forceful tool of space exclusion. (3) Masculine hegemony has it that no possibility of space (re) valorisation is now opportune. 

KEYTERMS: gender, culture, (dis)empowerment, Mostaganem, space/ place exclusion, hegemony, harassment