Customer Reviews

Arab Women: Between Defiance and Restraint

5 star:		(3)
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I was amazed by this excellent book, that reveals what is usually hidden, or completely caricatured and falsely represented in the western media on arab women. The main discovery I have made was that far from being dominated and deshumanized, arab women (at least in Palestine and other arab countries) can undertake huge resonsabilities, organize their life and be far more independant as we would assume from a western point of view. The other very interesting point made by Suha Sabbagh is that the crtiticism and downlooking from western feminist over the "poor dominated" muslim women lacks complete understanding of a muslim society: these women actually benefits from an enlarged family solidarity network, and enjoy support and help from their relatives and neighbours - a situation that they are not ready to abandon for a freedom that would isolate them without any support. Because the state, in these country, does not provide all the help we -in our western countries- may ask for.

So, a very enlightening book, written by arab women themselves, that you should read to understand really who are these arab women and what do they think... and throw away all your prejudices!!

I found this book helpful in understanding the stereotypes and misunderstandings Arab and Western women have of each other.

The broad mix of women represented takes the reader well beyond the stereotypes.

Highly recommended.

I knew the cultures were different, just never knew they were this different. I am anxious to read another book. Not because I love it, but because I am amazed at who can survive it.