Abstract:

Muslim Women in Contemporary North America is a provocative study of how strongly held and divergent opinions, values, and beliefs, as well as misconceptions, overgeneralizations, and political agendas pertaining to Muslim women in the region, enter the public frame of reference. Interrogating contested topics in a series of case studies from both Canada and the United States, Dr. Sharify-Funk's book probes below the surface in pursuit of deeper understanding and more productive dialogue. Chapters analyze controversies over "clash" literature, dissident reformists, female religious leadership, veils, and the nature of emancipation in a compelling examination of the ways in which "Muslim," "American," and "Canadian" identities and values are being defined, differentiated, and projected. By pinpointing both sources of dissonance and unexpected patterns of resonance among complex, composite, and at times overlapping identity constellations, this book uncovers the impact of controversies on broader cultural negotiations in the United States and Canada.

Bio:

Dr. Sharify-Funk has written and presented a number of articles and papers on women and Islam, Islamic and Sufi hermeneutics, and the role of cultural and religious factors in peacemaking. She is author of two books, Muslim Women in Contemporary North America: Controversies, Clichés, and Conversations (2023) and Encountering the Transnational: Women, Islam and the Politics of Interpretation (2008). She has also co-authored two books, Contemporary Sufism: Piety, Politics, and Popular Culture (2018) and Unveiling Sufism: From Manhattan to Mecca (2017), and has co-edited three books, Cultural Diversity and Islam (2003), and Abdul Aziz Said: A Pioneer in Peace, Intercultural Dialogue, and Cooperative Global Politics (2022).

Date/Time: Thursday, October 5, 2023 / 7:30pm ET

Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pQNKmSK1QjO2kwcsAzIXBA#/registration