Women and Islamization: Contemporary Dimensions of Discourse on Gender Relations / Edition 1

by Karin Ask, Marit Tjomsland

Overview

The current Islamic revival is frequently associated with fundamentalism and radical politics. This reinforces Western perceptions of Islamic women as victims of a sexist and reactionary rule. What many outsiders fail to realize is that quite a number of Muslim women are ardently embracing their religion as a means through which they can express gender identity, power and creativity.In overturning ingrained notions of Muslim women's subjugation, this timely book situates Islam as a religion undergoing reinterpretation and change — especially in relation to gender identities — rather than as a monolithic movement reacting against westernization and modernization. Through their political, educational, and recreational activities, more and more Muslim women are setting agendas of their own and are actively redefining the role of women in Muslim society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781859732557
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	01/09/1998
Pages:	212
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Karin Ask Chr. Michelsen Institute Marit Tjomsland Chr. Michelsen Institute

Table of Contents

Feminist reinterpretation of Islamic sources - Muslim feminist theology in the light of the Christian tradition of feminist thought, Anne Sofeie Roald; new veils and new voices - Islamist women's groups in Egypt, Soroya Duval; contested identities - women and religion in algeria and Jordan, Wilhelmina Jansen; public baths as private places, marjo Buitelaar; female derishes in contemporary Istanbul - between tradition and modernity, Catharina Raudvere; women and Muridism in Senegal - the case of the Mam Diarra Boussa Dahira in Mbacke, Eva Evers Rosander; reconstruction of Islamic knowledge and knowing - a case of Islamic practices among women in Iran, Zahra Kamalkhani.

Editorial Reviews

This book is an important contribution to cross-cultural understanding of Muslim women.” —Jourbanal of Islamic Studies

“Women and Islamization makes a good job of contesting descriptions of women's relations to Islam as being universally its victims” —Jourbanal of the Royal Anthropological Institute

“Islamic feminism...leaves open the question, how does such an apparent oxymoron work? How can activism on behalf of women square with the imposition of religious norms that favour men? In other words how can one be a feminist and an observant muslim? This volume of essays about the impact of islamization on the social roles of women and their spiritual pratices starts to answer this vexed question by bringing a much needed, new perspective to a topic hemmed in by prejudice.” —Association for Middle East Women's Studies

From the Publisher

Seven essays revised from presentations at a seminar in Bergen, Norway at an unspecified date grapple with women's role in the phenomenon western popular and scholarly discourse label Islamic religious fundamentalism, and investigate a few particular cases to describe religion as something that takes place in everyday life and is thereby founded in the experiences of believing women. Within the unifying theme of how Muslim women develop distinct voices and participate in Islamization processes, they look at the creation of rooms for religious reflections and devotion, public meetings, and discourse by women engaged in the Islamist resurgence. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Islamic feminism...leaves open the question, how does such an apparent oxymoron work? How can activism on behalf of women square with the imposition of religious norms that favour men? In other words how can one be a feminist and an observant muslim? This volume of essays about the impact of islamization on the social roles of women and their spiritual pratices starts to answer this vexed question by bringing a much needed, new perspective to a topic hemmed in by prejudice.

Association for Middle East Women's Studies

Women and Islamization makes a good job of contesting descriptions of women's relations to Islam as being universally its victims

Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute

This book is an important contribution to cross-cultural understanding of Muslim women.

Journal of Islamic Studies