Secularism, gender, and the state in the Middle East : the Egyptian women's movement / Nadje Al-Ali.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Al-Ali, Nadje Sadig, author.

Series:

Cambridge Middle East studies ; 14.

Cambridge Middle East studies ; 14

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Feminism--Egypt.

Feminism.

Secularism--Egypt.

Secularism.

Islam and secularism--Egypt.

Islam and secularism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xv, 264 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Secularism, Gender & the State in the Middle East

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

A considerable literature has been devoted to the study of Islamic activism. By contrast, Nadje Al-Ali's book explores the anthropological and political significance of secular-oriented activism by focusing on the women's movement in Egypt. In so doing, it challenges stereotypical images of Arab women as passive victims and demonstrates how they fight for their rights and confront conservative forces. Al-Ali's book also takes issue with prevailing constructions of 'the West' and its perceived dichotomous relation to 'the East'. The argument is constructed around interviews which afford fascinating insights into the history of the women's movement in Egypt, notions about secularism and how Islamist constituencies have impacted on women's activism generally. The balance between the empirical and conceptual material is adeptly handled. The author frames her work in the context of current theoretical debates in Middle Eastern and post-colonial scholarship: while some of the ideas are complex, her lucid style means they are always comprehensible; the book will therefore appeal to students, as well as to scholars in the field.

Contents:

1. Up against conceptual frameworks: post-orientalism, occidentalism and presentations of the self

2. Contextualizing the Egyptian women's movement

3. Self and generation: formative experiences of Egyptian women activists

4. Secularism: challenging neo-orientalism and 'his-stories'

5. From words to deeds: priorities and projects of contemporary activists

6. A mirror of political culture in Egypt: divisions and debates among women activists

Conclusion: 'standing on shifting ground'.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780511084249

0511084242

9781107120020

1107120020

9781280429637

1280429631

9780511175664

0511175663

9780511018732

0511018738

9780511156144

0511156146

9780511329104

0511329105

9780511489518

051148951X

9780511050053

0511050054

OCLC:

475914881

Publisher Number:

2027/heb04663 hdl