Poor Dad, Rich Daughter

How can women entrepreneurs in post-ISIS Kurdistan overcome traditional gender regimes that limit their success?

In Poor Dad, Rich Daughter, Kaziwa Salih examines the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Başûr, Iraq. The book focuses on two groups: those supported by NGOs and self-sponsored microentrepreneurs. Salih highlights the gender-related obstacles these women face, the ethical agency they display, and the impact of traditional family roles on their entrepreneurial journeys. Despite NGO support, the lack of essential technology and marketing knowledge has led to the failure of some businesses. The book delves into the complex dynamics of gender regimes, as experienced firsthand by Kurdish women who resist these systemic challenges.

This book is ideal for scholars and students in Middle Eastern studies, gender studies, and entrepreneurship, as well as practitioners and advocates interested in the intersection of gender, culture, and economic development in post-conflict regions.

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• Study region map
• Inspirational Quote
• Note on Conventions
• Acknowledgments
• Acronyms
• Synopsis
• 1 Introduction
  • Theory and Methodology in Context
  • Book Structure
    • Overview of Chapters
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
  • Chapter 2: Echoes of Conflict: Post-ISIS Reality of Kurdistan
  • Chapter 3: Women’s Positions and Gender Regimes in Kurdistan
  • Chapter 4: Beyond oil: Entrepreneurship and the Post-Rentier Citizen
  • Chapter 5: Guided empowerment: Women Entrepreneurs Under NGO Support
  • Chapter 6: Autonomous Empowerment: Women Entrepreneurs of Self-Reliance
  • Chapter 7: Faith and Power: Religious Doxa and Women’s Entrepreneurship Rights
  • Chapter 8: When Fear Inhibits Innovation: Women’s Agency Amid Moral Panic
  • Chapter 9: The Digital Divide: Technological Barriers and Women’s Market Access
  • Chapter 10: Entrepreneurship as Acts of Healing and Resistance
  • Chapter 11: Conclusion: Toward Moral Repairs
• Part I Historical Context: What Society Made the Father’s Advice Radical?
  • 2 Echoes of Conflict: Post-ISIS Reality of Kurdistan
    • Introduction
    • Security and Political Challenges
    • Displacement and Social Cohesion
    • The Ripple Effects of Economic Crisis
    • Conclusion
  • 3 Women’s Positions and Gender Regimes in Kurdistan
    • Introduction
    • Theoretical Structure and Analytical Framework
    • Gender Regimes in Kurdistan: Cultural Backlash and Structural Constraint
    • State Manipulation and Legal Pluralism
      • Gender Regimes in Everyday Practice
      • Policy Reconfiguration Under Post-Conflict Governance
    • Ethical Agency Beyond Universalist Contexts
      • Entrepreneurship as a Moral Economy
      • Multilayered Citizenship as An Outcome of Ethical Agency
    • Conclusion
  • 4 Beyond Oil: Entrepreneurship and the Post-Rentier Citizen
    • What Is Rentier Economy Or Rentierism?
      • Rentierism and Production of Slackers
    • The Rentier Citizen Complex
    • The Political and Institutional Effects of Rentierism
    • NGOs, Women, And The Rentier Complex
      • Unlocking Human Capital
      • Institutional Gaps and Political Reforms
    • Conclusion
• Part II Empirical Ground: How do the Daughters Live that Wisdom?
  • 5 Guided Empowerment: Women Entrepreneurs Under NGO Support
    • Introduction
    • NGO Strategies for Women’s Economic Empowerment
    • Capital: “Empowered People, Resilient Nations”
      • Locations and Customer Service
      • Entrepreneurial and Business Skills
    • Conclusion
  • 6 Autonomous Empowerment: Women Entrepreneurs of Self-Reliance
    • Introduction: The Necessity of Invention In A Rentier And Patriarchal Landscape
    • Economic Capital: Self-Reliance and The “Three Cs”
      • C1: Close Kin as A Double-Edged Resource
      • C2: Confidants Turned Collaborators
      • C3: Capital Reserves
    • Conceptual Map of The Three Cs
    • Comparing Pathways: NGO-Supported Vs. Self-Reliant Women Entrepreneurs
    • Conclusion
    • Note
• Part III Structural Boundaries: What are the Costs of Staying True to that Wisdom?
  • 7 Faith and Power: Religious Doxa and Women’s Entrepreneurship Rights
    • Introduction
    • The Rise of Islamic Political Groups in Basûr
    • The Contradictions Of Women’s Roles In Islamic Political Movements
    • Performative Religiosity: A Conceptual Frame
    • Illustrative Case Studies
      • Case 1: N.N.S.—Empowerment Through Party-Aligned Piety
      • Case 2: R.H.—Defiance and Visibility In A Conservative Region
      • Case 3: L.M.—Strategic Veiling for Social Protection
      • Case 4: Êzîdî Entrepreneur—Navigating Minority Identity In Duhok
    • Negotiating Visibility And Agency Within Contexts Of Performative Religiosity
    • Conclusion
  • 8 When Fear Inhibits Innovation: Women’s Agency Amid Moral Panic
    • Introduction
    • The Layered Landscape of Women’s Agency
      • Ethical Agency
      • Conditional Agency
      • Male Allies and Structural Support
    • Working Under Watchful Eyes: Social Phobia and Moral Panic
      • Cultural Dimensions
    • The Women Entrepreneurs and Paradox of Family Formation
      • Family’s Economic Sustainability & Support
      • Potential Partner Responsiveness
      • Domestic Labor, Unpaid Labor, And Emotional Labor
    • Conclusion
  • 9 The Digital Divide: Technological Barriers and Women’s Market Access
    • Introduction
    • The Importance of Technological Knowledge for Enterprises
      • Technological Knowledge Gap In Kurdistan And Structural Barriers
      • Labor Market Challenges
    • Gendered Structural Challenges of Technological Knowledge
      • Gaining Technological Knowledge Challenges
      • The Aggression Denial of Women’s Competence
    • Conclusion
  • 10 Entrepreneurship as Acts of Healing and Resistance
    • Introduction: From Survival to Healing
    • Empirical Context and Positionality
    • Healing in Displacement: The Êzîdî Women of Shariya Camp
    • Healing Beyond Memory: Women of Halabja
      • Discussion: Healing, Moral Economy, Citizenship and Ethical Agency
      • Healing as Moral Economy
      • Healing as Resistance and Political Citizenship
      • Healing as Rehumanization
    • The Gendered Burden of Healing
    • Conclusion
  • 11 Conclusion & Remarks: Toward Moral Repairs
    • Thematic Pillars
    • From Survival to Healing
    • Consequences and Critiques
    • Limitations and Research Gaps
    • Concluding Reflections
• Glossaries
• References