Routledge Muslim Women's Choices: Religious Belief and Social Reality (Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Women)

This volume counters the prevailing Western views and stereotypes of Muslim women - usually projected through male interpretations - by presenting a cross-cultural perspective of their experiences and choices in contemporary Muslim communities. The main theme running through these papers is the manner in which Muslim women consciously as well as unconsciously manipulate religious belief to negotiate their gender roles within the context of their lives. Review "...the editors and contributors...aid in our understanding of the impact of current political and social events on women." --MAN "...a strong anthology examining a broad range of contemporary women's experiences." -- The Bookwatch "It is particularly striking to see the very flexible and varied way that Islam is interpreted and used by women to negotiate their lives and responsibilities." -- British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies "...this collection exemplifies...the acknowledgement of human agency, that people (even women) have options and constantly make choices among them. ...By including societies until recently ignored in Muslim studies, the editors underscore the reach of Muslim culture. ...Especially relevant and welcome are the contrasts between women living in majority and minority Muslim communities, and studies of communities not frequently researched." -- MEWS Review "presents an image of Muslim women different from the western perception which tends to be narrowly confined to the concepts of confinement, subjugation and segregation" -- Development From the Back Cover Muslim societies - as well as Western perceptions of them - tend to be projected primarily through male perspectives. Our notion of the lives of women in these societies is far hazier and even more coloured by stereotypes than those of Muslim men. This volume intends to counter the prevailing views of Muslim women by presenting a cross-cultural perspective of their experiences and choices in contemporary Muslim communities, based on recent and hitherto unpublished research. The main theme running through these papers is the manner in which Muslim women consciously as well as unconsciously manipulate religious belief to negotiate their gender role within the situational context of their lives. About the Author Camillia Fawzi El-Solh Research Associate,Centre for Cross-Cultural Research on Women, University of Oxford Judy Mabro Freelance Editor