[.ca] In Search of Islamic Feminism (ISBN 0385488580)

From Amazon.com:
To the West, the Islamic world often appears homogeneous and monolithic; the Islam practiced in Iran or Saudi Arabia is our model for Islam everywhere: heavily veiled women, strictly segregated schools and workplaces, the harsh law of sharia demanding a thief's hand cut off or an adulterous woman stoned to death. In reality, the practice of Islam varies widely from place to place and culture to culture; in Turkey, for example, Islam may be the religion of the majority, but the political and legal systems are strictly secular. In Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, politics and religion are one, represented by the power of the mullahs and the ruling family. Uzbeki Muslims are different from Senegalese Muslims, and North African Islam has more than a little sub-Saharan influence to thank for its pantheon of djinns, afrites, and holy saints. Just as religious practices differ from country to country, so does the impact of Islam on women. Muslim women in Morocco, for example, have the legal right to drive a car, while women in Saudi Arabia do not. This being the case, is it even possible to define an Islamic brand of feminism? Elizabeth Warnock Fernea, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at the University of Texas, Austin, certainly tries and, in many cases, succeeds. Her book, In Search of Islamic Feminism, is both an account of her many years spent living and traveling in the Middle East and an attempt to define the issues facing Islamic women today. Though Fernea occasionally comes off as naive, she also makes valuable points about the many faces of Islam and feminism.

a personal account:
Very interesting personal account of a Western woman's experiences in the Middle-East, giving a voice to those who really have no voice: the women. No, this isn't scholarly and her lack of ability to speak Arabic certainly handicaps her, but still this is valuable. Those who complain about the emphasis on clothing are either apologists or fail to understand the meaning of such required restrictive dress to Western women: it means a lack of ability to move about freely (because of voluminous fabric or the heat of wearing such occulsive clothes) as well as, more seriously, the idea that women are objects to be kept secluded because they belong to a man. It means that women are responsible for men's morality and must pay for men's inability to exhibit self-control. I don't think Fernea did a good job of explaining her own view of such subjects.

Nice as a travel book:
This book is nice as a travel book. Description of the "adventures" was really enjoyable. But that was it! The author seemed so much interested in the external appearances rather than the core. For example, I noticed the way she handled the Islamic dress code. As a feminist, she obviously has her biased stand against it. There's much more in the life of a Muslim woman than the way she dresses, but it seemed that this issue was one of the author's most primary targets. She handled the issue in such a naive way and displayed any positive views expressed by some Muslim women in a disagreeable manner. I was astonished to learn from the book that Mrs. Fernea doesn't know standard Arabic. This means she doesn't have direct access to all the Arabic written material. All her sources must be second hand. If this is the case, then I wonder how she can be described as an "acclaimed Arab Studies scholar." Neither her short visits to Arab and Muslim countries, nor her stay with her husband in a remote village in Iraq qualify her to be an authority in Arab studies.

Long journey:
This book describes Fernea's personal quest for Islamic feminism throughout the Middle East. Each chapter describes her experiences in a different country. It is never made clear whether the ordering of the chapters corresponds to the chronology of her visits, although she mentions in the beginning that she began in 1994, and the most recent entries seem to be from about 1997. Although some of the visits seem to be specifically for this project, others appear to have been incidental, where she did research for the project while on various lecture tours arranged for other purposes. Fernea writes from a very personal point of view in this book. Indeed, the book, with its details of such things as the food she ate and her misadventures with her hostesses' dog, comes across more as a travel journal than an academic survey. Throughout, she seems to go out of her way make it clear that she does not consider herself an expert on the topic, but rather as a curious seeker. She also laments frequently her limited ability in Standard Arabic. Coming from an author of her stature, this is a bit surprising. But then again, this is in line with her previous ethnographic studies on the Middle East, which described her and her family's personal dealings with the culture as much as they described the culture itself. And perhaps given the topic and the ethnicity of the author, this was the only possible approach for a book exploring these questions. Fernea presents few clear conclusions in her search for Islamic feminism. Those generalities that are mentioned come mostly from the mouths of the women she interviews. The clearest message is that women in the Middle East seem leery of the term "feminist". To them, "feminism" seems to represent attitudes of Western women (of perhaps questionable morals) who want to subvert their culture. On the other hand, virtually all the women interviewed in the book are concerned about women's issues and would like to improve the lives of women in their communities. Several of the women stressed that there is no overall "Islamic" culture; each Islamic country has its own culture. The issues that are important for women in any given country arise more from the culture than from the religion. Nevertheless, the religion does provide certain rights and expectations for all Islamic women; whether the women can take advantage of these rights depends on the conditions prevailing where they live. This book represents yet another chapter in the Fernea's growth in understanding about the women in this region. As such, it will be a welcome addition in the library of anyone who has read her previous books, or for anyone else who is exploring women's issues and Islam.

Fascinating, but problematic:
This is without a doubt the most informative book I've ever read. The lessons learned are innumerable, invaluable, and unforgettable. Fernea however, is irrepressibly annoying. Not only does she seem unbelievably ignorant about the cultures she studies, especially for such an accredited "expert", but she clings firmly to her own misconceptions and stereotypes, regardless of what her interviewees may say. I give her credit though, for being so honest. In that position, I might have tried to make it sound like I knew what I was talking about.

Don't let the other reviews turn you off ---:
A superb book, describing the authors travels to several Middle Eastern countries emphasizing the role of women in each country. In her discussions with local women, she explores the various images of women, in those countries and in the West, and looks for how feminist ideas interact with Islamic cultures. I lead tour groups to the Middle East, and one of the most common questions I hear from prospective travelers is the perception that women in all Islamic countries are oppressed and undervalued. Fernea and her associates dispell this idea, and show the wide range of responses and possibilities. As in the West, many people have a reluctance to even use the word 'feminism', when in fact there is substantial agreement on the actual ideals of equality and other principles that transcend other cultural or religious artifacts and obstacles. On our trips, we don't often have the chance to get as involved in discussions as Fernea, with her years of experience and contacts does, but, in what I have experienced (in Morocco, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Uzbekistan and Turkey), her discussions here ring true. Along with Dalrymple's From the Holy Mountain, these are 2 of my highest recommended books as glimpses of modern culture in the Middle East. It was particularly interesting to read some of the negative reviews on Amazon -- I find it hard to believe those people were reading the same book I was!