GENDER, RELIGION, AND SOCIOSPATIAL (IM)MOBILITIES: TOWARD AN INTERSECTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR MUSLIM FEMALE SOLO TRAVEL

Abstract

This research proposes an intersectional framework for examining Muslim women’s solo travel. Drawing from existing literature and using Iranian Muslim women as a case example, the study identifies ten key identity axes: gender, education, employment, nationality, religion, place, marital status, ethnicity, age, and race, discussing how these axes intersect to create compounded and context-specific barriers. The framework highlights unique constraints, such as the intersection of nationality and religion, which exposes women to Islamophobia and Iranophobia during international travel, and the intersection of gender and marital status, which reinforces patriarchal norms through legal restrictions. By offering a structured and context-specific approach, this research advances theoretical discussions on intersectionality in tourism and provides a foundation for future empirical studies to explore the diverse and nuanced experiences of Muslim female solo travelers.