The ‘Third Gender’ in Afghanistan: A Feminist Account of Hybridity as a Gendered Experience

Citation:

Partis-Jennings, Hannah. 2019. “The ‘Third Gender’ in Afghanistan: A Feminist Account of Hybridity as a Gendered Experience.” Peacebuilding 7 (2): 178–93.

Author: Hannah Partis-Jennings

Abstract:

This article offers a significant contribution to critical peace studies and feminist peace studies by exploring an undertheorized manifestation of hybridity and friction in Afghanistan from a feminist perspective. It focuses on female international humanitarian actors, their use of the term ‘third gender’ to describe their perceived position, and their experiences of performing their gender in hybridised ways. Using original interview data, it argues that the particularly gendered experiences of these actors are key to recognising the gendered nature of peacebuilding and the intersections between feminist approaches and critical peace concepts.

Keywords: hybridity, friction, Afghanistan, third gender, feminism, peacebuilding

Topics: Feminisms, Gender, Humanitarian Assistance, Peacebuilding Regions: Asia, South Asia Countries: Afghanistan

Year: 2019