TY - BOOK ID - 17550012 TI - Veil: modesty, privacy and resistance PY - 1999 SN - 1859739296 1859739245 1845208846 0585436622 PB - Oxford Berg DB - UniCat KW - Muslim women. KW - Veils KW - Muslim women KW - Voiles (Coiffures) KW - Musulmanes KW - Customs and practices KW - Clothing KW - Coutumes et pratiques KW - Costume KW - Customs and practices. KW - Clothing. KW - Arab States KW - Sociology of culture KW - History KW - Ethnology. Cultural anthropology KW - Islam KW - History of civilization KW - Religious studies KW - Social aspects. KW - Social aspects KW - Aspect social KW - Arab states KW - Fashion KW - Norms KW - Appearance KW - Book KW - Anthropology KW - Veil UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:17550012 AB - Shortlisted for the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award 2000. In the 1970s, often to the consternation of parents and siblings, certain progressive young Arab women voluntarily donned the veil. The movement, which rapidly expanded and continues to gather momentum, has sparked controversy within Islamic culture, as well as reactions ranging from perplexity to outrage from those outside it. Western feminist commentators have been particularly vociferous in decrying the veil, which they glibly interpret as a concrete manifestation of patriarchal oppression. However, most Western observers fail to realize that veiling, which has a long and complex history, has been embraced by many Arab women as both an affirmation of cultural identity and a strident feminist statement. Not only does the veil de-marginalize women in society, but it also represents an expression of liberation from colonial legacies. In short, contemporary veiling is more often than not about resistance. By voluntarily removing themselves from the male gaze, these women assert their allegiance to a rich and varied tradition, and at the same time preserve their sexual identity. Beyond this, however, the veil also communicates exclusivity of rank and nuances in social status and social relations that provide telling insights into how Arab culture is constituted. Further, as the author clearly demonstrates, veiling is intimately connected with notions of the self, the body and community, as well as with the cultural construction of identity, privacy and space. This provocative book draws on extensive original fieldwork, anthropology, history and original Islamic sources to challenge the simplistic assumption that veiling is largely about modesty and seclusion, honor and shame. ER -