Islamic Different Views as a Factor of Conflict in Malala Yousafzai's Autobiography

Abstract

This research explores the different Islamic views as factors influencing the power dynamic in Malala Yousafzai’s autobiography, I Am Malala. Drawing on a structuralism theoretical framework, this study is grounded in Claude Lévi-Strauss’s binary opposition concept to dissect the contrast of Islamic ideology. The researchers applied a qualitative method to examine how both conservative and progressive interpretations of Islam serve as tools of oppression and resistance. It is revealed that religious views have a role in framing the social conventions and controlling the dynamics of power and resistance, as shown in the book, that the Taliban’s actions of ruling the Pakistanis were rooted in their conservative interpretation. At the same time, Malala appears as a symbol of empowerment by capitalizing on the progressive Islamic beliefs to challenge the conservative ideologies. Eventually, this research contributes to the study of the structuralism approach in literature through autobiographical works, which implies the intersection of religion, culture, and resistance in South Asian.