Publisher's Weekly Review
While there is no direct requirement to veil in any Islamic religious texts, many Muslim women choose to do so and in a variety of ways that have nuanced meanings, which Amer, a University of Sydney professor of Arabic and Islamic studies, catalogues and explores, offering perhaps the definitive glossary on veiling. She spares no one in her analysis, asserting that Western politicians exploit the veil rather than focus on real problems. At the same time, Amer exposes, in a critique sure to rankle Muslims, the social pressure to wear hijab (a common term for nonfacial veiling) among Muslim student groups, causing social isolation from non-Muslims but inviting solidarity from other Muslim students. Muslim women, in general, face this double-edged sword, where acceptance in one community probably means rejection, even bullying, in the other. Amer's deliberate and caring scholarly treatment is pitch-perfect. This book about "hijabistas," "muhajababes," and veiled Muslim hip-hop artists, among others, is really not just about veiling; it is the story of Islam, especially modern Islam, told through the prism of the veil. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Choice Review
Much has been written about Muslim women's head scarves and other items for covering their hair, bodies, and, at times, faces. Amer (Univ. of Sydney) adds to the existing literature on this topic a nuanced, thoughtful introductory book that oscillates between providing basic information and advancing some more-creative arguments. Defying the book's simplistic title, Amer weaves a complex picture of the historical, religious, political, and sociological dimensions of Muslim women's head coverings. In three parts, she lays out religious approaches and intra-Muslim politics (part 1), debates about head scarves and face veils as part of colonialism and in contemporary Europe and North America (part 2), and discussions focused on feminism and Muslim fashion and art. The book is light on references, even where they would be welcomed, and relies on anecdotes and examples (claiming to give voice to Muslim women) to support broader arguments. Defying the artificial boundaries between West and East, the book is global in scope. It demonstrates the interconnectedness of discourses, practices, and communities, occasionally at the expense of providing context. Amer succeeds in complicating the conversation and offers some surprising insights. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers. --Juliane Hammer, UNC Chapel Hill
