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. Beyond the veil is the result of her doctoral research. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society 1975 mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological. 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. Abstract this paper seeks to evaluate missiological approaches to muslim women in the light of the analysis of moroccan islamic feminist, fatima mernissi. Malefemale dynamics in a muslim society saqi essentials by fatema mernissi isbn.
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. The missiological implications of the islamic feminism of fatima mernissi author. First, the author doesnt even pretend she writes a serious, matteroffact work and her opinions are all too obvious. For fatima mernissi, a woman who says nothing is a veiled woman. She grew up in the harem of her affluent paternal grandmother along with various female kin and servants. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam. Theres no record of it in the hadith, she said, it might even be counted as a sin on judgment day. Arab book world in this expanded and updated edition, with a new. Malefemale dynamics in muslim society new edition by fatima mernissi isbn.
Mernissi s first monograph, beyond the veil, was published in 1975. Fatema mernissi has 33 books on goodreads with 23785 ratings. Her bestknown englishlanguage books include beyond the veil. Fatema mernissi s 1940 2015 work explores the relationship between sexual ideology, gender identity, sociopolitical organization, and the status of women in islam. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam, translated by mary jo lakeland new york. Beyond the veil revised edition edition fatima mernissi on. Beyond the veil, revised edition indiana university press. In fact, the quran supports the notion of gender equality. She tries to demonstrate that there is a fundamental contradiction between islam as interpreted in official policy and equality between the sexes. Such traditions as veiling and domestic isolation arose from a desire to control the potential threat posed to the social order by womens sexuality. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological. Fatima mernissi is justifiably acclaimed for this thoroughly researched and.
Her most famous book, as an islamic feminist, the veil and the male elite. Dreams of trespass is a tale of mernissi s harem life from age 5 to 10. Fatima mernissi is a true feminist, candid, articulate and persuasive. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam reprint by mernissi, fatima isbn. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam by. The veil and the male elite is a tricky book to rate, since i am definitely not its target audience. 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. Fatema mernissi s most popular book is dreams of trespass. Beyond the veil revised edition edition fatima mernissi on free shipping on qualifying offers. The following entry presents an overview of mernissi s career through 2001. The books to read before you visit morocco offer an insight into the countrys history, culture and traditions. 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. In beyond the veil, fatima mernissi argues that the islamic view of women as active sexual beings resulted in stricter regulation and.
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. Buy a cheap copy of le harem politique book by fatema mernissi. Beyond the veil by fatima mernissi overdrive rakuten. 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.
Publication date 1987 topics muslim women, women publisher. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Basic, 1991 the question of the role of women in islamic political and economic ends. Beyond the veil, revised edition by fatima mernissi, 9780253204233, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society, which was first. 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. She is presently professor of sociology at the university mohammed v in rabat, morocco.
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. Travel exploration offers a hand curated and select picks of morocco books to read before you go. I really appreciated mernissis more scientific approach and it did a lot to make her claims more convincing. Fatema mernissi and islamic feminism literary theory and. Fatema mernissi was born on 27 september 1940 in fez, morocco. 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. Books by fatema mernissi author of dreams of trespass. 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. 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. In this classic study, fatema mernissi argues that many muslim scholars historically portrayed women as active and in possession of an aggressive sexuality.
In this classic study, internationally renowned sociologist fatema mernissi argues that. 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. A feminist interpretation of womens rightsin islam. 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. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological discourse on women and sexuality from the. 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. Jul, 2017 fatema mernissi is a moroccan feminist and sociologist who is renowned for her work on womens rights within islam. The headscarf itself did not matter, but silence was the true veil. Fatima mernissi 1940 also transliterated as fatema mernissi moroccan nonfiction writer, memoirist, and editor. She was best known for her books beyond the veil, tales of a harem girlhood and the.
Mernissis first monograph, beyond the veil, was published in 1975. From the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. Analysis of beyond the veil by fatima mernissi 1240. Publication date 1987 topics muslim women, women publisher bloomington. The topic of malefemale dynamics in muslim society is one of the main issues covered in the book, beyond the veil, by fatima mernissi. In this classic study, fatema mernissi argues that many muslim scholars historically portrayed women as active and in. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam fatima mernissi, mary jo lakeland on. Born in fez to a middleclass family, mernissi studied at the mohammed v from the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. Deception, insanity, and adventure, along with everything else that goes along with being a superhero in book three of the beyond the veil series.
Tales of a harem girlhood, an insider s view of the daily restrictions of moroccan harem life. 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. The christian perspective on womens status and role in islamic societies is. Tales of a harem girlhood by fatima mernissi, which describes the experience of growing up in a moroccan family in the 1940s and 1950s. Dreams of trespass by fatima mernissi harvard university. 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 veil, real or imagined because the unveiled woman is often. 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. 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. Fatima mernissi from the writing of her first book, beyond the veil.
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. The missiological implications of the islamic feminism of. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society 9780253204233. If you dont remember the word fitna after reading this book, theres something seriously wrong with you. Although the first edition of the book was published in 1975, beyond the veil seems much more like a modern sociological text. Malefemale dynamics in a modern muslim society unknown binding published january 1st 1975 by schenkman books unknown binding, 153 pages. Mernissi covers a wide range of categories, all of which pertain to the female position in a muslim society. 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.
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. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in, mernissi has sought to reclaim fatima mernissi. Fatima mernissi, one of moroccos foremost writers in the fields of sociology and islamic feminism, has died. Contemporary muslim womens reveiling movement, in the american journal of islamic social sciences 17, 3, fall 2000. This included the public life has provoked debate both within and without. A revised edition was published in britain in 1985 and in the us in 1987. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society revised ed 1st midland book ed by f mernissi isbn.
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