What is Veiling?
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The Islamic veil in all its forms – from the headscarf to the full body garment – is one of the most visible signs of Islam as a religion. It is also one of its most controversial and misunderstood traditions among both Muslims and non-Muslims. In an environment of increasing conservatism in both Euro-American and Muslim-majority societies, in a world where a woman’s right to wear the headscarf has become a touchstone for issues of all sorts, and at a time when racial and religious profiling has become commonplace, it is our political and social responsibility to gain a deeper understanding of veiling.
This concise, easy-to-read and even-handed introduction is organised around three main topics: the historical, religious and cultural background; contemporary debates about the veil; and the varied, shifting meanings the veil has had for Muslim women over the past century.
Sahar Amer was born in Cairo (Egypt) and grew up in France. She moved to the US where she completed her undergraduate and graduate education. She worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before moving to the University of Sydney (Australia) where she is currently Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies and Chair of the Department. She is interested in the literary and artistic representation of Muslim women in Europe and the United States. She is a prize winning author and a recipient of several major awards for her scholarship.