Modernity and the University: The Role of the University as a Modern Institution in Shaping the Life Politics of Female Students — A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how the university as a modern institution influences the life politics of female students, their redefinition of social identity, and their strategies for confronting discrimination. A qualitative phenomenological approach was adopted. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 30 female students representing three identity orientations: feminist, non-traditional, and religious-traditional. Participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Data were analyzed through coding and thematic interpretation. Feminist participants highlighted the dominance of patriarchal norms and pervasive gender discrimination and emphasized resistance and self-assertion. Non-traditional participants reported job market inequalities, bodily display restrictions, educational barriers, and the historical impact of patriarchal culture, proposing education and cultural reform as solutions. Religious-traditional participants expressed relative satisfaction with women’s progress yet stressed the need for legal reforms and updated Islamic interpretations to address inequality. The university acts as a modern identity resource enabling female students to critically reconsider traditional roles, assert autonomy, and engage in self-directed life politics. Nevertheless, entrenched patriarchal structures and cultural constraints persist, requiring integrated strategies from individual empowerment to legislative and cultural transformation.