The veil, real or imagined because the unveiled woman is often. 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. In fact, the quran supports the notion of gender equality. Beyond the veil has become a classic, especially in the fields of anthropology and sociology on women in the arab world, the mediterranean area or muslim societies in general. 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. 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. Mernissi s book was something i very much enjoyed reading a clearlywritten and incisive look at the way 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 or about feminist theory in the islamic world. Although the first edition of the book was published in 1975, beyond the veil seems much more like a modern sociological text. She grew up in the harem of her affluent paternal grandmother along with various female kin and servants. The topic of malefemale dynamics in muslim society is one of the main issues covered in the book, beyond the veil, by fatima mernissi.
Fatima mernissi 1940 also transliterated as fatema mernissi moroccan nonfiction writer, memoirist, and editor. The missiological implications of the islamic feminism of. Although this revised version appeared quite a while ago 1987, the book still offers fascinating insights on how, in a patriarchalpolygynous context, the old doublestandard of male sexual license and female sexual confinement may backfiredespite religiousideological rationalizations. Contemporary muslim womens reveiling movement, in the american journal of islamic social sciences 17, 3, fall 2000. The books to read before you visit morocco offer an insight into the countrys history, culture and traditions. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam fatima mernissi, mary jo lakeland on. Fatema mernissi is a moroccan feminist and sociologist who is renowned for her work on womens rights within islam. The following entry presents an overview of mernissi s career through 2001. From the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. She received her primary education in a school established by the nationalist movement, and secondary level education in an allgirls school funded by the french protectorate.
Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society 9780253204233. Fatema mernissi was born on 27 september 1940 in fez, morocco. Arab book world in this expanded and updated edition, with a new. For fatima mernissi, a woman who says nothing is a veiled woman. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological. The headscarf itself did not matter, but silence was the true veil. 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. 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. Abstract this paper seeks to evaluate missiological approaches to muslim women in the light of the analysis of moroccan islamic feminist, fatima mernissi. Dreams of trespass by fatima mernissi harvard university.
Born in fez to a middleclass family, mernissi studied at the mohammed v from the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. Sexual inequality is a prominent feature of both western and islamic societies, but underlying concepts of female sexuality in christian and muslim traditions are very different, and the pattern of heterosexual relation in muslim countries is probably unique. Buy a cheap copy of le harem politique book by fatema mernissi. Fatema mernissi s 1940 2015 work explores the relationship between sexual ideology, gender identity, sociopolitical organization, and the status of women in islam. Beyond the veil mernissi explores the historical links between the religion of islam, the societal oppression of women, and the suppression of democracy in predominantly muslim nations. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam by. Books by fatema mernissi author of dreams of trespass. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society, which was first. Mernissis first monograph, beyond the veil, was published in 1975. Her bestknown englishlanguage books include beyond the veil. A feminist interpretation of womens rightsin islam. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam, translated by mary jo lakeland new york.
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. Beyond the veil is interesting book but and by but i mean but it suffers from numerous flaws. The christian perspective on womens status and role in islamic societies is. Fatima mernissi is justifiably acclaimed for this thoroughly researched and. Travel exploration offers a hand curated and select picks of morocco books to read before you go. A revised edition was published in britain in 1985 and in the us in 1987. Fatima mernissi, one of moroccos foremost writers in the fields of sociology and islamic feminism, has died. An expanded and updated edition of this classic study includes a new introduction on muslim women and fundamentalism, in which fatima mernissi argues that. Theres no record of it in the hadith, she said, it might even be counted as a sin on judgment day. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam reprint by mernissi, fatima isbn.
Fatema mernissi and islamic feminism literary theory and. If you dont remember the word fitna after reading this book, theres something seriously wrong with you. Deception, insanity, and adventure, along with everything else that goes along with being a superhero in book three of the beyond the veil series. Beyond the veil revised edition edition fatima mernissi on free shipping on qualifying offers. Beyond the veil has become a classic, especially in the fields of anthropology and sociology on women in the arab world, the mediterranean area or. 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. The childs naive attempts to understand the meaning of the word harem lets us experience her moroccan family with fresh eyes, without the screen of western condemnation. Malefemale dynamics in a muslim society saqi essentials by fatema mernissi isbn. First, the author doesnt even pretend she writes a serious, matteroffact work and her opinions are all too obvious.
Revised edition, addisonwesley isbn 02015232 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. Tales of a harem girlhood by fatima mernissi, which describes the experience of growing up in a moroccan family in the 1940s and 1950s. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Jul, 2017 fatema mernissi is a moroccan feminist and sociologist who is renowned for her work on womens rights within islam.
Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Publication date 1987 topics muslim women, women publisher bloomington. She was best known for her books beyond the veil, tales of a harem girlhood and the. Malefemale dynamics in muslim society new edition by fatima mernissi isbn. Publication date 1987 topics muslim women, women publisher. Malefemale dynamics in a modern muslim society unknown binding published january 1st 1975 by schenkman books unknown binding, 153 pages. She is presently professor of sociology at the university mohammed v in rabat, morocco. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological discourse on women and sexuality from the. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society revised ed 1st midland book ed by f mernissi isbn. Someone else is going to read for me or go at my place to the mosque, andor to tell me you shouldnt take anything from the west because the. In this classic study, fatema mernissi argues that many muslim scholars historically portrayed women as active and in possession of an aggressive sexuality.
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. Fatima mernissi is a celebrated moroccan author who has written several books which are critically acclaimed from a feminist perspective, however they have also been misconstrued by pundits specifically by men for their own personal benefits. Analysis of beyond the veil by fatima mernissi 1240. I really appreciated mernissis more scientific approach and it did a lot to make her claims more convincing. Dreams of trespass is a tale of mernissi s harem life from age 5 to 10. Mernissi s first monograph, beyond the veil, was published in 1975.
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. 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. And the veil challenging historical muslim women ij. Such traditions as veiling and domestic isolation arose from a desire to control the potential threat posed to the social order by womens sexuality. Fatema mernissi has 33 books on goodreads with 23785 ratings. 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. 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. Beyond the veil revised edition edition fatima mernissi on. Tales of a harem girlhood, an insider s view of the daily restrictions of moroccan harem life. She critically examines the classical corpus of religiousjuristic texts, including the hadith, and reinterprets them from a feminist perspective. I suppose i expected a feminist look at modern muslim culture, and this book is really more a theological look at womens rights and a historical look at how various verses of the koran that are used to justify antifeminist sentiments in muslim cultures came to be included.
Mernissi covers a wide range of categories, all of which pertain to the female position in a muslim society. Beyond the veil by fatema mernissi english news portal. Beyond the veil, revised edition indiana university press. Fatima mernissi is a true feminist, candid, articulate and persuasive. The missiological implications of the islamic feminism of fatima mernissi author. Mernissi is one of the preeminent koranic scholars of our time, an outspoken feminist, and author of beyond the veil, islam and democracy, and dreams of trespass. This included the public life has provoked debate both within and without. The veil and the male elite is a tricky book to rate, since i am definitely not its target audience. In this classic study, internationally renowned sociologist fatema mernissi argues that. In all of her many books, which she wrote in english and french and which have been translated into more than 30 languages, she attained a recognition far beyond the borders of morocco. Basic, 1991 the question of the role of women in islamic political and economic ends.
Fatima mernissi from the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. Beyond the veil, revised edition by fatima mernissi, 9780253204233, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society 1975 mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological. She pursued her graduate education in the united states and in 1973 obtained a ph. 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.
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