The Liberation of Women and The New Woman: Two Documents in the History of Egyptian Feminism [Paperback]

Qasim Amin (Author), Samiha Sidhom Peterson (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2000 | ISBN-10: 9774245679 | ISBN-13: 978-9774245671

Qasim Amin (1863-1908), an Egyptian lawyer, is best known for his advocacy of women's emancipation in Egypt, through a number of works including The Liberation of Women and The New Woman. In the first of these important books in 1899, he started from the premise that the liberation of women was an essential prerequisite for the liberation of Egyptian society from foreign domination, and used arguments based on Islam to call for an improvement in the status of women. In doing so, he promoted the debate on women in Egypt from a side issue to a major national concern, but he also subjected himself to severe criticism from the khedival palace, as well as from religious leaders, journalists, and writers. In response he wrote The New Woman, published in 1900, in which he defended his position and took some of his ideas further. In The New Woman, Amin relies less on arguments based on the Quran and Sayings of the Prophet, and more openly espouses a Western model of development. Although published a century ago, these two books continue to be a source of controversy and debate in the Arab world and remain key works for understanding the Arab feminist movement. The Liberation of Women and The New Woman appear here in English translation for the first time in one volume.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Qasim Amin (1863-1908), an Egyptian lawyer, is best known for his advocacy of women's emancipation in Egypt, through a number of works including The Liberation of Women and The New Woman.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: The American University in Cairo Press (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9774245679
• ISBN-13: 978-9774245671
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,916 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Nonfiction > Civil Rights
  • #61 in Books > History > Africa > Egypt

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A pretty good read., June 5, 2009

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The Only One (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Liberation of Women and The New Woman: Two Documents in the History of Egyptian Feminism (Paperback)

I only read this book because it was required for one of my classes, but it turned out to be pretty good. It defiinately gives you an insight into the cultural changes happening in Egypt. I recommend it to anyone interested in international women's rights or the Middle East.