Religion 255 - ISLAM, WOMEN & CULTURE

From media to policy discussions, we are presented with images of oppressed and victimized Muslim women segregated from public life. Yet, ethnographic accounts of the lived experiences of Islamic women complicate and confound such stereotypes. In this course, we will read ethnographies detailing Muslim women's lives in various contexts -- from Shi'a women in Lebanon to African-American Muslims in the US. We will explore how their lives are informed by Islamic texts and practices and also by politics, sectarianism, nationalism, migration, class, ethnicity and race. Topics we will cover include Islamist resurgence, religious piety/practices, Islamist feminism, and controversies over veiling. Enrollment limited to 35. (E)