In 1975, fatima mernissis first book, beyond the veil, was published, and it was revolutionary. Basic, 1991 the question of the role of women in islamic public life has provoked debate both within and without the community since the earliest days of the prophet. Malef emale dynamics in modern muslim society 1975, a book based on her brandeis phd that launched the islamic. If a reader were to select only one book in order to gain insight into.
She was best known for her books beyond the veil, tales of a harem girlhood and the forgotten queens of islam. As she grew, mernissi distanced herself from traditional education, studying first at the sorbonne, at brandies university, where she earned her doctorate. The christian perspective on womens status and role in islamic societies is. Beyond the veil is the result of her doctoral research and was first published in 1975. Fatima mernissi is justifiably acclaimed for this thoroughly researched and. May 10, 2011 she grew up in fez and pursued higher studies in europe, after which she pursued islamic studies of women. Jun, 2011 but between the pages, laced into ahmeds account of the veil in history, the curious will find gems of scholarship and insight. Malefemale dynamics in muslim society new edition by fatima mernissi isbn. She critically examines the classical corpus of religiousjuristic texts, including the hadith, and reinterprets them from a feminist perspective.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Ibn kathir, a revered commentator of the quran, explains in his. These two wellknown writers and thinkers believe that muslim women suffer due to the patriarchal system and male leading figures misinterpreting the sacred texts in muslim countries. Malefemale dynami in muslim society saqi essentials ebook. She pursued her graduate education in the united states and in 1973 obtained a ph.
An expanded and updated edition of this classic study includes a new introduction on muslim women and fundamentalism, in which fatima mernissi argues that. Mernissi explains in her book that early muslim scholars portrayed women as aggressive hunters who forced men, reduced to weak hunted victims, to control women by imposing requirements such as veiling, which confined. Fatima mernissi from the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. Beyond the veil was written in 1973 and published for the first time in 1975. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam, translated by mary jo lakeland new york. Beyond the veil, revised edition by fatima mernissi, 9780253204233, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Born in fez to a middleclass family, mernissi studied at the mohammed v university in rabat and later went to paris, where she worked briefly as a journalist. Abstract this paper seeks to evaluate missiological approaches to muslim women in the light of the analysis of moroccan islamic feminist, fatima mernissi. Mernissi broke down the ethnocentric stereotypes western society had developed towards islam, especially islamic women. The class itself was an unexpected thrill id done a bit of middle eastern history in grad school long before, but i knew very little about the role of women. This included the public life has provoked debate both within and without. Chronicling ten years of research, this book presents a sustained analysis of the position of women in the world of contemporary islam. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society 9780253204233 by mernissi, fatima and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices.
She distinguished islamic women from the homogenized group of third world women that western feminism had created. Beyond the veil, revised edition indiana university press. One of the most important feminist thinkers, fatima mernissi here makes a major contribution to the theorisation of gender roles and sexual identity in the islamic world. Tales of a harem girlhood, scheherazade goes west, the veil and the male elite, and beyond the veil. Fatima mernissi is a true feminist, candid, articulate and persuasive. Publication date 1987 topics muslim women, women publisher. Beyond the veil is the result of her doctoral research. Fatema mernissi has 33 books on goodreads with 23785 ratings. Womens oppression, she maintains, is due to the political manipulation of religion by powerseeking, archaic muslim male elites. Fatema mernissi teaches sociology at university mohammed v in rabat, morocco.
Like everything it has two sides, some people argue islam empowered women in ancient arab, where women were deprived of their rights. Fatema mernissi is a professor of sociology at the university of mohammed v in rabat, morocco. Moroccan born fatima mernissi was raised in a harem along with several other women, and was educated traditionally, studying the quran in an allgirls school. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological discourse on women and sexuality from the stranglehold of patriarchy. Malefemale dynamics in a modern muslim society 1975, mernissi examined the differences between traditional western and muslim notions of female sexuality.
In fact, the quran supports the notion of gender equality. Born in fez to a middleclass family, mernissi studied at the mohammed v from the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. An expanded and updated edition of this classic study includes a new introduction on muslim women and fundamentalism, in which fatima mernissi. Womens rebellion and islamic memory by fatima mernissi isbn. Womens rebellion and islamic memory by fatima mernissi. Basic, 1991 the question of the role of women in islamic political and economic ends. Elizabeth fernea, the university of texas at austin if a reader were to select only one book in order to gain insight into womens status and prospects in islamic society, this study should be the one chosen for its clarity, honesty, depth of knowledge and thoughtprovoking qualities. She was best known for her books beyond the veil, tales of a harem girlhood and the. Books by fatema mernissi author of dreams of trespass. It was published by the indiana university press in bloomington and indianapolis in 1987. Remembering islamic feminist fatema mernissi mernissi, a moroccan sociologist whose books include beyond the veil, islam and democracy and dreams of. Arab book world in this expanded and updated edition, with a new. In the novel, fatima mernissi attempts to narrate the sexual inequality of women in the muslim world and explores deeply in malefemale relationships.
And the veil challenging historical muslim women ij. The fifth chapter offers a positive theory of the veil, and finally, the conclusion brings together the many issues covered, and ends by proposing that mutual respect must govern debates surround ing the practice of veiling. By jackie duncan, mount vernon nazarene university. Jul, 2017 fatema mernissi is a moroccan feminist and sociologist who is renowned for her work on womens rights within islam. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam fatima mernissi, mary jo lakeland on. One of the most fascinating and instructive features of beyond the veil is the way ms mernissi approaches her subject, and the distinction she draws between sexual inequality in the west and in islam. The missiological implications of the islamic feminism of. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Within the cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all. Malefemale dynamics in a modern muslim societycambridge.
Malefemale dynamics in a muslim society mernissi, fatema on. As scholar fatima mernissi puts it, the existing inequality does not rest on an ideological or biological theory of womens inferiority, but the outcome of specific social institutions designed to restrain her power beyond xvi. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in, mernissi has sought to reclaim fatima mernissi. Beyond the veil by fatima mernissi overdrive rakuten. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society 1975 mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological. Beyond the veil fatima mernissi pdf pdf and others. Mernissi covers a wide range of categories, all of which pertain to the female position in a muslim society. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society, fatima mernissi focuses on sexual relations between men and women and how it effects societal dynamics.
A fascinating book scotland on sunday if a reader were to select only one book in order to gain insight into womens status and prospects in islamic society, this study should be the one chosen for its clarity, honesty, depth of knowledge and thoughtprovoking qualities. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological. In this classic study, fatema mernissi argues that many muslim scholars historically portrayed women as active and in possession of an aggressive sexuality. One book, the veil and the male elite first published in french in 1987, critically examines the historical context of muslim law and tradition and. Mernissi explains in her book that early muslim scholars portrayed women as aggressive hunters who forced men, reduced to weak hunted victims, to control women by imposing requirements such as veiling, which confined women to.
In 2003, she was awarded the prince of asturias award for literature along with susan sontag. Even with some historical and islamic inaccuracies for instance, many hadiths prophetic traditions quoted by mernissi have been outruled as inauthentic by contemporary islamic scholars, thus invalidating many of her arguments and theories, i found this book to be very interesting, and it sheds light though indirectly, and perhaps unintentionally on moroccan history and culture. Saudi arabias shadow looms long across the book, and the kingdom emerges as the quiet victor in the veils resurgence, its longtime project to export wahhabi islams more strict ways a global success. Fatima mernissi 1940 also transliterated as fatema mernissi moroccan nonfiction writer, memoirist, and editor. In 1975, fatima mernissi s first book, beyond the veil, was published, and it was revolutionary. In beyond the veil, fatima mernissi argues that the islamic view of women as.
Fatema mernissi is a moroccan feminist and sociologist who is renowned for her work on womens rights within islam. The topic of malefemale dynamics in muslim society is one of the main issues covered in the book, beyond the veil, by fatima mernissi. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological discourse on women and sexuality from the. She tries to demonstrate that there is a fundamental contradiction between islam as interpreted in official policy and equality between the sexes. In western countries, the hijab is the main veil that is worn whereas in iran the chador is prescribed by law under the islamic republic. Malefemale dynamics in a muslim society saqi essentials by fatema mernissi isbn. In afghanistan, particularly under the taliban, a woman may wear a full face, head, and body covering called the burqa. Fatema mernissi and islamic feminism literary theory and.
In saudi arabia, a woman commonly will wear a covering with a veil across the face. Fatema mernissis most popular book is dreams of trespass. My last semester at law school, i took an elective class on women in islamic law with a visiting professor from france, and mernissi s beyond the veil was one of the assigned texts. Beyond the veil by fatema mernissi english news portal. In forgotten queens of islam 1990, she portrays the life of no less than 15 female islamic rulers who preceded benazir bhutto as heads of government.
If a reader were to select only one book in order to gain insight into womens. In this classic study, internationally renowned sociologist fatema mernissi argues that. Beyond the veil catalogue home national library of australia. The following entry presents an overview of mernissi s career through 2001. Analysis of the book beyond the veil 1536 words cram. The reality of the muslim veil by fatima hussain issuu. Analysis of beyond the veil by fatima mernissi 1240. The missiological implications of the islamic feminism of fatima mernissi author. Fatema mernissi s 1940 2015 work explores the relationship between sexual ideology, gender identity, sociopolitical organization, and the status of women in islam. Malefemale dynamics in muslim society 2nd revised edition by mernissi, fatima isbn.
In beyond the veil, fatima mernissi argues that the islamic view of women as active sexual beings resulted in stricter regulation and control of womens sexuality, which muslim theorists classically regarded as a threat to civilized society. Fatema mernissi 19402015 was a leading advocate for womens rights in the muslim world. Contemporary muslim womens reveiling movement, in the american journal of islamic social sciences 17, 3, fall 2000. Regarded as a classic book in the united states, beyond the veil has never. Mernissi explains in her book that early muslim scholars portrayed women as aggressive hunters who forced men, reduced to weak hunted victims, to control women by imposing requirements such as veiling, which confined women to the private space. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society revised ed 1st midland book ed by f mernissi isbn. Fatima mernissi, one of moroccos foremost writers in the fields of sociology and islamic feminism, has died.
From the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society revised edition. She is the author of more than eight books, including dreams of trespass. Add one setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your universitys proxy server configure custom proxy use this if your affiliation does not provide a proxy. A feminist interpretation of islam 1988, mrs mernissi profiles the religions influential women who today mostly reside in nearoblivion. Sexual inequality is a prominent feature of both western and islamic societies, but the underlying concepts of female sexuality in christian and muslim traditions are very different. Beyond the veil revised edition edition fatima mernissi on free shipping on qualifying offers. Mernissi s works have been translated into thirty languages. In beyond the veil, fatima mernissi argues that the islamic view of women as regarded as a classic book in the united states, beyond the veil has never. Convinced that the veil is a symbol of unjust male authority over women, in the veil and the male elite, moroccan feminist fatima mernissi aims to investigate the origins of the practice in the first islamic community. This article focuses on fatima mernissis, and amina waduds views of feminism from the eastern perspective. Mernissi s work explores the impact of this historically constituted ideological system on the construction of gender and the organization of domestic and political life in muslim society today. Beyond the veil malefemale dynami in muslim society. This was the very first book i read of mernissi, a moroccan writer, who is not only very famous and wellpublished in the west for her open critism of islam, but also is cherished and welcomed by many progressive muslims all over the world.
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