Suchergebnisse

Why were urban women veiled in the early 1900s, unveiled from 1936 to 1979, and reveiled after the 1979 revolution? This question forms the basis of Hamideh Sedghi's original and unprecedented contribution to politics and Middle Eastern studies. Using primary and secondary sources, Sedghi offers new knowledge on women's agency in relation to state power. In this rigorous analysis she places contention over women at the centre of the political struggle between secular and religious forces and demonstrates that control over women's identities, sexuality, and labor has been central to the consolidation of state power. Sedghi links politics and culture with economics to present an integrated analysis of the private and public lives of different classes of women and their modes of resistance to state power

Abstract
This study explores the tensions between the state and women's efforts to construct an alternative vision of gender equality and feminism. The experiences of the One Million Signatures Campaign for the Repeal of Discriminatory Laws offer new perspectives on women's struggles to carve out their own space and place in society. But how and why does the state construct and reproduce patriarchal norms and practices? Conversely, how do women, specifically feminists, address and engage the state in their attempts to form their own feminist rights and gender identities? Although it is important to understand that both the state and women draw on their own political and cultural preferences, I argue that constructing feminist identities is often an uphill battle, as women encounter resistance from the state that is not gender neutral and is patriarchal.

Reflections on the political ramifications of 11 Sept 2001 by a US resident who was born in the Middle East point out the extreme diversity of aspirations, struggles, & colonial histories among the Muslim population. It is maintained that Islam is grossly misperceived by people in the US, especially conceptions of "Islamic fundamentalism," & misguided notions of a "clash of civilizations." Current views are said to be based on horrific images of Ayatollah Khomeini & portrayals of the Iranian revolution that ignore the role of US involvement in Iran. Attention is called to the association of the term "Islamic fundamentalism" with Western stereotypes that fail to consider the historical development & cultural reality of Islam. It is contended that the 11 Sept tragedy & the war in Afghanistan have accentuated the global dichotomy of inferior Muslims-superior Westerners, & ignored the disastrous impact of colonialism on the Middle East. Gaining a new understanding of the Middle East & Muslims is seen as the essential first step toward an effective strategy of political change. 13 References. J. Lindroth