Arab Feminisms: Gender and Equality in the Middle East (Contemporary Arab Scholarship in the Social Sciences)

Is there a truly Arab feminist movement? Is there such a thing as 'Islamic' feminism? What does it mean to be a 'feminist' in the Arab world today? Does it mean grappling with the more theoretical elements of the movement? Or does it mean an involvement at the grassroots level with everyday activism? This book examines the issues and controversies that are hotly-debated and contested when it comes to the concept of feminism and gender in Arab society today. It offers explorations of both the theoretical issues at play, the latest developments in feminist discourse, literary studies and sociology, as well as empirical data concerning the situation of women in Arab countries, such as Iraq and Palestine. Arab Feminisms therefore offers valuable theoretical analysis as well as indispensable first-hand accounts of feminism in the Arab world for those researching gender relations in the Middle East and beyond.