Questioning the Veil: Open Letters to Muslim Women
Lazreg, Marnia
ISBN 10: 0691150087 ISBN 13: 9780691150086
Published by Princeton University Press, 2011
Used
Paperback
From
ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
AbeBooks Seller since March 24, 2009
This specific item is no longer available.
About this Item
Description:
May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0691150087I4N00
Synopsis:
Why Muslim women should not wear the veil
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.
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.
About the Author: 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).
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Bibliographic Details
Title: Questioning the Veil: Open Letters to Muslim...
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Publication Date: 2011
Binding: Paperback
Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket