What is Veiling?

Sahar Amer

ISBN 10: 9381406405 / ISBN 13: 9789381406403

Published by Dev Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi, 2014

About this Item

Ranging from simple head scarf to full-body burqa, the veil is worn by vast numbers of Muslim women around the world. What Is Veiling?explains one of the most visible, controversial, and least understood emblems of Islam. Sahar Amer's evenhanded approach is anchored in sharp cultural insight and rich historical context. Addressing the significance of veiling in the religious, cultural, political, and social lives of Muslims, past and present, she examines the complex roles the practice has played in history, religion, conservative and progressive perspectives, politics and regionalism, society and economics, feminism, fashion, and art. By highlighting the multiple meanings of veiling, the book decisively shows that the realities of the practice cannot be homogenized or oversimplified and extend well beyond the religious and political accounts that are overwhelmingly proclaimed both inside and outside Muslim-majority societies. Neither defending nor criticizing the practice, What Is Veiling? clarifies the voices of Muslim women who struggle to be heard and who, veiled or not, demand the right to live spiritual, personal, and public lives in dignity. Page Extent: 256.

Seller Inventory # 1150462

Bibliographic Details

• Title: What is Veiling?
• Publisher: Dev Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi
• Publication Date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9381406405
• ISBN 13: 9789381406403
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

An engaging introduction to one of the most visible, controversial and least understood emblems of Islam The Islamic veil in all its forms - from the headscarf to the full body garment - is one of the most visible signs of Islam as a religion. It is also one of its most controversial and misunderstood traditions among both Muslims and non-Muslims. In an environment of increasing conservatism in Euro-American Muslim-majority societies, in a world where a woman's right to wear the headscarf has become a flashpoint for issues of all sorts, and at a time when racial and religious profiling has become commonplace, it is our political and social responsibility to gain a deeper understanding of veiling. This concise, easy-to-read and even-handed introduction is organised around three main topics: the historical, religious and cultural background; contemporary debates about the veil; and the varied, shifting meanings the veil has had for Muslim women over the past century.

About the Author

Sahar Amer was born in Cairo (Egypt) and grew up in France. She moved to the US where she completed her undergraduate and graduate education. She worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before moving to the University of Sydney (Australia) where she is currently Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies and Chair of the Department. She is interested in the literary and artistic representation of Muslim women in Europe and the United States. She is a prize winning author and a recipient of several major awards for her scholarship.