“In accessible, lucid prose, Abu-Lughod explains how sensationalized memoirs, or ‘pulp nonfiction,’ have perpetuated stereotypes and made Muslim women a symbol of an alien culture. The author dispassionately points out the hypocrisy of colonial feminism, and how more often than not, there is a clear political agenda behind the liberation of the ‘women of cover’ and how the role of the U.S. is often overlooked. The women presented here see their Islamic faith as a source of strength to fight injustice, not the cause of it. They’re not asking to be rescued from their religion, the author contends, but from the discriminatory legal system, poverty, outdated patriarchal family traditions, and border controls that continue to inhibit their freedom. While offering no easy solution, the author recommends observation over moral crusades, stating: ‘Anyone seriously interested in Muslim women’s rights must follow them as they move.’ This book is an excellent place to begin.”—Publishers Weekly
“Tracing connections from human rights groups and international feminist NGOs, to philosophy and anthropology, to best-selling memoirs of Muslim women and titillating pulp fiction accounts of Muslim women’s suffering, Abu-Lughod argues that the West’s perception of Muslim women as creatures in need of rescue is shaped by a confluence of powerful forces. Incisively argued and often sharply critical, Abu-Lughod’s book—which will surely spark debate—is essential reading for anyone interested in women’s rights in the Muslim world.”—Leila Ahmed, author of A Quiet Revolution: The Veil’s Resurgence from the Middle East to America
“In this passionate, sharply articulated, and engaging argument, Lila Abu-Lughod describes how Islam has been transformed into a homogenized geography ‘somewhere out there’ and how its women, different as they are diverse, have become the excuse for political and military interventions. In place of the simplistic arguments that are bandied about on the global stage, this book reminds us to ask more important questions: who are the saviors of Muslim women and how did they acquire the right to be the saviors? Every thinking individual should read this book.”—Urvashi Butalia, author of The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India
“This is a provocative and astute challenge to the received wisdom of our time that Muslim women need to be saved by the liberated West. Abu-Lughod not only offers an insightful critique of the remedies offered to combat violence against Muslim women but also helps us see their lives differently. We are forced to confront the shared humanity between ‘us’ and ‘them’ that is both unsettling and instructive. A must read for those who remain skeptical of ‘save the Muslim woman’ campaigns that are so popular and fashionable today.”—Saba Mahmood, author of Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject
“There is no one better qualified than Lila Abu-Lughod to take on difficult questions about Muslim women and their portrayal in the global media. Her answers shake up some fundamental assumptions held by liberals and conservatives alike and raise new questions. This book persuades us to consider new and more productive ways of thinking and acting.”—Mahmood Mamdani, author of Saviors and Survivors: Darfur, Politics, and the War on Terror
“Lila Abu-Lughod lays bare the many factors that can collude to produce an unhappy woman in a Muslim society: abusive father, distant husband, bad personal decisions, and restrictive codes of conduct, yes, but also poverty, neoliberalism, politicized NGOs, war, and occupation. Her book tells larger, transnational stories, bringing together activists, publishers, and women from all over the world.”—Elora Shehabuddin, author of Reshaping the Holy: Democracy, Development, and Muslim Women in Bangladesh
Do Muslim Women Need Saving?
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Book Details
HARDCOVER
$35.00 • £25.95 • €31.50
ISBN 9780674725164
Publication: November 2013
Available 10/28/2013
