Dr Mona Al Zahrani

The Making of a Good Woman Dr Mona Al Zahrani

I explored young girls' (4 - 6 years) perceptions of female identity and role in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Exploring the ways in which their gender identities were interpreted and manifested in narratives and stories to identify and analyse the influences, apparent ideologies, and discourses that affect female gender construction in pre-school children in the KSA. My research took place in a particular cultural context. I discussed how preschool 'girls in KSA have to navigate two different worlds. One world, where they are expected to show all the attributes of femininity and beauty and the other world, where they are required to develop a strong sense of 'self-control' to be ' a good girl' who complies with the societal confinements and restrictions on their female body and mobility.