Power Relations in Society

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Though the origins of the phrase are unknown, women around the world have been saying, “the personal is the political and the political is personal” for the past few decades. It is still applicable today when analyzing social movements and the structure of power in society. This phrase does not mean that a woman’s every action is considered to be political and that every personal decision made is political. Instead, the theory could be explained, in terms of overall feminism, by saying personal problems are political problems that are the result of a long period of seemingly innate repression. We often consider the political and personal to be completely separate entities. However, the political’s inherent blend with the personal only makes the political stronger and more powerful. This phrase is useful for understanding the rationale behind those involved with French torture and cruelty in an Algiers prison in The Question, persecution and oppression in a West Bank village in Budrus, and the discrimination against Muslim women in France in Politics of the Veil.
Henri Alleg, a French journalist living in Algiers, wrote The Question while being held captive in an Algiers prison. The methods and ramifications of torture in Europe in the late 1950’s were extremely horrific. They included, but were not limited to, electrical shocking, various beatings and burnings, and waterboarding, as described in his personal account. Alleg eventually overcame his captors and escaped. However, his account brought up many questions surrounding what is done to uphold the safety of the citizens of a country.
The Question can be applied to the feminist mantra because of the nature in which the power relations in France restricted Alleg’s personal...

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...ially interfered with their overall standing with others that practice the same religion.
“The personal is the political and the political is personal” still applies today with the issues discussed in Budrus and Politics of the Veil occurring around only a decade ago. The Question dates back a few more decades, but the overarching question of the legality and practicality of torture is still relevant. The rationale behind those involved in the recent events that pertain to the feminist mantra in that each event discussed to be applied to both sides. The mantra is close to being palindrome and, thus, when applied certain historical events, it shows the inherent politics that we might not have noticed otherwise. Furthermore, the personal and the political depend on each other and as historical events continue to take place, the two will keep acting together as one.

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