Available:*
Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 33000000017309 | HQ1170 S53 2019 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
On Order
Summary
Summary
Drawing on interviews and examples from across the globe, this book tackles the shifting narratives surrounding Muslim women
Once regarded as passive victims waiting to be rescued, Muslim women are now widely regarded as arbiters of "terror" and a potential threat to be kept under control. Drawing on interviews and examples from around the world including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Europe, and North America, Shakira Hussein shows how this shift in attitude has taken place and how it impacts feminism, multiculturalism, race, and religion on a global scale.
She argues that alongside the fear of Islamic terrorism is a growing fear of Islam as a cultural hazard that is undermining Western society from within. Muslim women, the transmitters of cultural practices, are frequently seen to play a key role in this. Hussein's work makes for a compelling read, offering a unique perspective on what it means to be a Muslim woman post-9/11.
Author Notes
Shakira Hussein is a research fellow at the University of Melbourne's Asia Institute. She is a regular commentator on issues of gender, Islam, and multiculturalism. She lives in Victoria, Australia.
Reviews 1
Booklist Review
Hussein uses studies of media and her work in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Australia to explore the shifting Western views of Muslim women. Those living in Muslim-majority societies are seen as victims of oppression who need to be rescued, while the supposedly oppressed women tend to regard these so-called benefactors as colluding with the political enemy. By contrast, women who wear Muslim dress and live in Western societies are viewed with suspicion, becoming targets of harassment and abuse, as they are seen as a sign of encroaching Sharia law. The attitude is reinforced by reports of jihadi brides and heightened fears of terrorism. Muslims with dispersed family may be reluctant to give up markers of cultural identity, despite others' misconceptions, paranoia, and moral panic. This short book only begins to cover the complexities of the issue, and it concludes with a chapter outlining contemporary events and attitudes toward Muslims (women in particular) and the dangers in the road ahead. Hussein's style is engaging, and readers will understand that beneath the veil is neither victim nor assailant but a human being.--Muhammed Hassanali Copyright 2019 Booklist
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements | p. ix |
Prologue | p. xiii |
Introduction | p. 1 |
1 Afghan Girls | p. 19 |
2 Candle in the Wind | p. 52 |
3 Shifting Perceptions | p. 86 |
4 Proxy Wars | p. 122 |
5 Invisible Menace | p. 154 |
6 'Jihadi Brides' and Chicks with Sticks | p. 189 |
Conclusion | p. 222 |
References | p. 239 |
Index | p. 249 |