Muslim Working Women: The Effect of Cultural Values and Degree of Religiosity on the Centrality of Work, Family, and Other Life Domains

Moshe Sharabi (), Ilan Shdema, Doaa Manadreh and Lubna Tannous-Haddad
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Moshe Sharabi: Department of MA Studies in Organizational Development and Consulting, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Mizra 1930600, Israel
Ilan Shdema: Department of Human Services, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Mizra 1930600, Israel
Doaa Manadreh: Department of MA Studies in Organizational Development and Consulting, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Mizra 1930600, Israel
Lubna Tannous-Haddad: Department of Behavioral Sciences, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Mizra 1930600, Israel

World, 2025, vol. 6, issue 2, 1-17

Abstract: The participation of Muslim women in the Israeli labor force is very low and stems from them being part of a traditional patriarchal society where women (especially religious ones) are still expected to be homemakers. Additionally, previous governmental policy decisions hindered a wide integration of Muslim women into the labor market. This study examined the centrality of life domains for Muslim women according to their religiosity degree. A questionnaire concerning the relative centrality of work, family, community, religion, and leisure was distributed among 219 Muslim working women. The findings show that work was more central for traditional women compared to secular and religious ones, but secular women ranked the centrality of family first and work second, similarly to the ranking in various Western countries. By contrast, traditional and religious women ranked work first and family second. Additionally, secular women ranked the centrality of leisure and community higher than traditional and religious women. The Israeli case is relevant in this regard because, similar to other Western countries, most Muslims in Israel form a distinct ethnic group, characterized by lower socioeconomic status and subject to political marginalization. The results have both theoretical and practical significance.

Keywords: Muslim women; degree of religiosity; work centrality; life domain centrality; Israel (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G15 G17 G18 L21 L22 L25 L26 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 R51 R52 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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