Muslim Women on the Move: Moroccan Women and French Women of Moroccan Origin Speak Out

Muslim Women on the Move: Moroccan Women and French Women of Moroccan Origin Speak Out

by Doris H Gray (Author)

Synopsis

This book offers rare insights into the individual experiences of young, educated women in Morocco and women of Moroccan origin in France. They speak about their understanding of Islam and their personal and professional goals and challenges and offer views on the reform of the Personal Status Code (family law) in Morocco and the ban on overt religious insignia (that is, the veil) in French public schools. Despite their different places of residence, remarkable similarities emerge.

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Quantity

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 218
Publisher: Lexington Books
Published: 02 Nov 2007

ISBN 10: 0739118056
ISBN 13: 9780739118054

Media Reviews
Doris Gray's study shows that Muslim women in Morocco, like those of Moroccan origin in Europe, are far more independently-minded in their relationship with Islam than has often been thought. At a time when Islam's relationship with the West has never been of greater salience, finely nuanced and sophisticated research of this nature is of enormous value. It offers an insightful corrective to those who claim globalization is inexorably polarizing the world into a clash of civilizations. -- Alec Hargreaves, Florida State University
Doris Gray's dialogue with young educated women in Morocco and in France is a heartening example of critical intimacy. Her sensitive analyses of delicate and controversial issues demonstrate that scholarship is not incompatible with a patient and respectful search for a new definition of cultural identity. She shows us just how an individual associated with a given culture cannot not be portrayed as the representative of that culture. -- Mireille Rosello, University of Amsterdam
This book provides an extremely valuable contribution to existing literature and debate not just on Morocco or on women in the Muslim World but also-more crucially-to the ongoing debate about relations between the Muslim world and the so-called 'West.' Through the views of her interviewees, Gray exposes textures, nuances and even some surprises, often missed or glossed over in most conventional treatments of these topics. Engagingly written, the text has an eye for personal details that enrich and give context to the broader narrative and arguments of the book. It is thoroughly recommended for anyone wanting to understand the dynamics of gender in the Muslim world and their place within wider ongoing debates occurring in Europe as well as North Africa and the Middle East about the role of Islam in society. -- Michael J. Willis, St. Antony's College, Oxford University
This text has a great deal to offer to those wishing to understand global Islam. Recommended. * CHOICE, November 2008 *
Gray continuously challenges the assumption that there is a clear dichotomy between the Western and the Muslim worlds....This is an apty-timed study....Muslim Women on the Move gives a voice to young, professional, and educated women in Morocco and of the Moroccan origin in France....This comparative study provides an intimate look at the personal experiences and opinions of women from two vey different countries. * International Journal on World Peace, December 2008 *
Doris Gray gives a voice to the voiceless, producing a timely book that by its scope and depth can serve as a model for other European countries facing the same issues discussed by French women of Moroccan origin. -- Aida Bamia, NEAS Department
Gray makes an important contribution to our understanding of how immigrants and their children conceptualize themselves in France....Gray's work demonstrates the effectiveness of comparative studies tracking Muslim women's experiences in Morocco and France while also setting a course for future research. * H-France Review, February 2009 *
This comparative study allows a better understanding of a specific category of Muslim women and the exploration of the effect of migration on their lives and attitudes. It is also policy-relevant because it gives a voice to women who are often reduced to silence and a passive role in both Morocco and France, and who are the target of increasingly hostile policies in the latter country. * MESA Bulletin *
Author Bio
Doris H. Gray is an independent scholar in Tallahassee, Florida.