Nawal El Saadawi’s intellectual life reflected eight decades of Arab society and culture Sunday, April 4, 2021 10:20 AM UTC Egypt’s Nawal El Saadawi was the foremost Arab feminist thinker of the past 50 years. Her ideas inspired generations of Arab women, but also provoked controversy and criticism. She was prolific, publishing over 50 books of fiction and non fiction in Arabic, many translated and receiving global attention. Focusing on sex, politics, and religion, El Saadawi believed that patriarchy, capitalism and imperialism are intertwined systems that oppress Arab women and prevent them from reaching their full potential. The trajectory of El Saadawi’s intellectual life follows major developments in Arab society and culture from the 1940s to the present. To understand her contribution, it’s important to see her in the context of the historical moment that made her work possible, necessary and provocative.