Across much of the world today, Muslim women of all ages are increasingly choosing to wear the veil. Is this trend a sign of rising piety or a way of asserting Muslim pride? And does the veil really provide women freedom from sexual harassment? Written in the form of letters addressing all those interested in this issue, "Questioning the Veil" examines the inconsistent and inadequate reasons given for the veil, and points to the dangers and limitations of this highly questionable cultural practice. Marnia Lazreg, a preeminent authority in Middle East women's studies, combines her own experiences growing up in a Muslim family in Algeria with interviews and the real-life stories of other Muslim women to produce this nuanced argument for doing away with the veil. An incisive mix of the personal and political, supported by meticulous research, "Questioning the Veil" will compel all readers to reconsider their views of this controversial and sensitive topic.
Lazreg stresses that the veil is not included in the five pillars of Islam, asks whether piety sufficiently justifies veiling, explores the adverse psychological effects of the practice on the wearer and those around her, and pays special attention to the negative impact of veiling for young girls. Lazreg's provocative findings indicate that far from being spontaneous, the trend toward wearing the veil has been driven by an organized and growing campaign that includes literature, DVDs, YouTube videos, and courses designed by some Muslim men to teach women about their presumed rights under the veil. An incisive mix of the personal and political, supported by meticulous research, "Questioning the Veil" will compel all readers to reconsider their views of this controversial and sensitive topic.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
Long or short, sternly pinned or silkily draped, the Islamic veil is the most contentious religious symbol today, in the West as much as in the Muslim world... [Lazreg] feels passionately that Muslim women should not wear the veil, as both her mother and grandmother obediently did... [A] useful and timely counterpoint. -- "Economist Marnia Lazreg's discussion of the infamous piece of cloth, however, is different from most other treatises on the issue. It is personal and passionate... As such, it is a highly relevant intervention into the debate on the veil. -- Julia Droeber, Times Higher Education Sociologist Lazreg, an authority on Algeria, has issued a call for frank and unmediated conversation among Muslim women. In a series of four letters that assert the major points of contention--modesty, sexual harassment, cultural identity, conviction, and piety--she lays bare the issues, apologetics, and real lives of veiled Muslim women in an unprecedented fashion... A provocative text that demands a response. -- "Choice Questioning the Veil is an excellent examination of an extremely controversial and divisive piece of clothing, written with unimpeachable authority, and a valuable source of information for anyone seeking to achieve an informed perspective on the subject. -- Rabbi Dr Charles H Middleburgh, Charles Middleburgh blog Read as the author declares it to be, not a scholarly treatise, but a very personal inquiry, Marnia Lazreg's book is a rich and committed contribution to the current debate on the veil. -- Irina Vainovski-Mihai, Insight Turkey
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Für Beruf und Forschung
Produkt-Hinweis
Maße
Höhe: 203 mm
Breite: 127 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-691-13818-3 (9780691138183)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Marnia Lazreg is professor of sociology at the Graduate Center and Hunter College, City University of New York. Her books include "The Eloquence of Silence: Algerian Women in Question" and "Torture and the Twilight of Empire: From Algiers to Baghdad" (Princeton).
Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 Letter One: Modesty 15 Letter Two: Sexual Harassment 41 Letter Three: Cultural Identity 53 Letter Four: Conviction and Piety 67 Letter Five: Why Women Should Not Wear the Veil 97 Notes 133 References 147 Index 153
