Hijab and the Republic: Uncovering the French Headscarf Debate (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780815631743)

The hijab is arguably the most discussed and controversial item of women's clothing today. It has become the primary global symbol of female Muslim identity for Muslims and non-Muslims alike and is the focus of much debate in the confrontation between Islam and the West. Nowhere has this debate been more acute or complex than in France. In Hijab and the Republic, Bronwyn Winter provides a riveting account of the controversial 2004 French law to ban Islamic headscarves and other religious signs from public schools. While much has been written on the subject, Winter offers a unique feminist perspective, carefully delineating its political and cultural aspects. Drawing on both scholarly literature and popular commentary, she examines the headscarf debate from its inception in 1989 through fluctuations in its intensity over the 1990s to its surging significance in the wake of 9 / 11 and the consequent shift in global politics.

Author: Bronwyn Winter
ISBN-10: 081563174X
ISBN-13: 9780815631743
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Language: English
Published: 01/19/2009
Pages: 436
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.55lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.20w x 1.30d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 11/01/2009