Aversion and Desire

Shahnaz Khan presents the voices of Muslim women on how they construct and sustain their Islamic identity. Khan interviewed 14 Muslim women about their sense of power, authenticity, and place. Her critical analysis challenges the Western perception of Islam as monolithic and static. The women emigrated from Pakistan, India, Egypt, Turkey, Somalia, Iran, and Uganda. They share a common pride in their Muslim origins, even as they express concern about their position as women within Islam and how they are viewed by non-Muslim Canadians. Khan suggests that the women's narratives reveal a nostalgia and a longing for a stable and comfortable identity. This book will interest scholars in Women's Studies, Modern Islamic Studies, Religious Studies, and Cultural Studies.