Gender discrimination and reproduction of patriarchy within the family in Saudi fiction

This article examines two Saudi novels published after 2000, showing that gender discrimination is shaped gradually through family socialization, not simply as public or male-centred phenomenon. By highlighting the family as the primary site of patriarchal value reproduction, the analysis reveals how hierarchical family structures emerge through children’s socialization and adherence to social gender norms. Employing Islamic feminist theory and an interdisciplinary approach adapted to the Saudi context, the study finds that gender socialization within families reinforces beliefs in women’s inferiority, with mothers playing a central role in transmitting and internalizing patriarchal values. Further, the article analyses female consciousness and resistance within male-dominated contexts, revealing that the novels utilize narrative strategies to challenge patriarchal discourses and resist reductive representations of Saudi women. Ultimately, the novels distinguish Islamic teachings from patriarchal customs, constructing an implicit Islamic counter-discourse against gender inequality. The article concludes that these novels frame the struggle for equal rights and justice as indigenous rather than Western-imposed, portraying Saudi women as complex and diverse individuals.