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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 305.486971 EAN: 9780385488587 ISBN: 0385488580 Label: Anchor Manufacturer: Anchor Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 464 Publication Date: November 10, 1998 Publisher: Anchor Release Date: November 10, 1998 Studio: Anchor Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: To the West, the Islamic world often appears homogeneous and monolithic; the Islam practiced in Iran or Saudi Arabia is our model for Islam everywhere: heavily veiled women, strictly segregated schools and workplaces, the harsh law of sharia demanding a thief's hand cut off or an adulterous woman stoned to death. In reality, the practice of Islam varies widely from place to place and culture to culture; in Turkey, for example, Islam may be the religion of the majority, but the political and legal systems are strictly secular. In Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, politics and religion are one, represented by the power of the mullahs and the ruling family. Uzbeki Muslims are different from Senegalese Muslims, and North African Islam has more than a little sub-Saharan influence to thank for its pantheon of djinns, afrites, and holy saints. Just as religious practices differ from country to country, so does the impact of Islam on women. Muslim women in Morocco, for example, have the legal right to drive a car, while women in Saudi Arabia do not. This being the case, is it even possible to define an Islamic brand of feminism? Elizabeth Warnock Fernea, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at the University of Texas, Austin, certainly tries and, in many cases, succeeds. Her book, In Search of Islamic Feminism, is both an account of her many years spent living and traveling in the Middle East and an attempt to define the issues facing Islamic women today. Though Fernea occasionally comes off as naive, she also makes valuable points about the many faces of Islam and feminism. Product Description: "Islamic feminism" would seem a contradiction in terms to most Westerners. We are taught to think of Islam as a culture wherein social code and religious law alike force women to accept male authority and surrender to the veil. How could feminism emerge under such a code, let alone flourish? Now, traveling throughout Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as Islamic communities in the United States, acclaimed Arab Studies scholar and bestselling author Elizabeth Fernea sets out to answer that question. Fernea's dialogue with friends, colleagues, and acquaintances prompts a range of diverse and unpredictable responses, but in every country she visits, women demonstrate they are anything but passive. In Iraq, we see an 85 percent literacy rate among women; in Egypt, we see women owning their own farms; and in Israel, we see women at the very forefront of peacemaking efforts. Poor or rich, educated or illiterate, these women define their own needs, solve their own problems, and determine the boundaries of their own very real, very viable feminism. In Search of Islamic Feminism offers a groundbreaking new interpretation of the status and vision of Muslim women that will open up a new world to its readers, even as it challenges our own sense of what feminism means. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Fascinating, but problematicThis is without a doubt the most informative book I've ever read. The lessons learned are innumerable, invaluable, and unforgettable. Fernea however, is irrepressibly annoying. Not only does she seem unbelievably ignorant about the cultures she studies, especially for such an accredited "expert", but she clings firmly to her own misconceptions and stereotypes, regardless of what her interviewees may say. I give her credit though, for being so honest. In that position, I might have tried to make ... Read More Rating:  - a personal accountVery interesting personal account of a Western woman's experiences in the Middle-East, giving a voice to those who really have no voice: the women. No, this isn't scholarly and her lack of ability to speak Arabic certainly handicaps her, but still this is valuable. Those who complain about the emphasis on clothing are either apologists or fail to understand the meaning of such required restrictive dress to Western women: it means a lack of ability to move about freely (because of voluminous ... Read More Rating:  - Don't let the other reviews turn you off ---A superb book, describing the authors travels to several Middle Eastern countries emphasizing the role of women in each country. In her discussions with local women, she explores the various images of women, in those countries and in the West, and looks for how feminist ideas interact with Islamic cultures. I lead tour groups to the Middle East, and one of the most common questions I hear from prospective travelers is the perception that women in all Islamic countries are oppressed and undervalued. ... Read More Rating:  - Long journeyThis book describes Fernea's personal quest for Islamic feminism throughout the Middle East. Each chapter describes her experiences in a different country. It is never made clear whether the ordering of the chapters corresponds to the chronology of her visits, although she mentions in the beginning that she began in 1994, and the most recent entries seem to be from about 1997. Although some of the visits seem to be specifically for this project, others appear to have been incidental, where she did research ... Read More Rating:  - Nice as a travel bookThis book is nice as a travel book. Description of the "adventures" was really enjoyable. But that was it! The author seemed so much interested in the external appearances rather than the core. For example, I noticed the way she handled the Islamic dress code. As a feminist, she obviously has her biased stand against it. There's much more in the life of a Muslim woman than the way she dresses, but it seemed that this issue was one of the author's most primary targets. She handled the issue in such ... Read More |
