Burning the Veil : The Algerian War and the 'emancipation' of Muslim Women, 1954–62

Burning the Veil draws upon sources from newly-opened archives, exploring the "emancipation" of Muslim women from the veil, seclusion and perceived male oppression during the Algerian War of decolonization. The claimed French liberation was contradicted by the violence inflicted on women through rape, torture, and destruction of villages. This book examines the roots of this contradiction in the theory of "revolutionary warfare", and the attempt to defeat the National Liberation Front by penetrating the Muslim family, seen as a bastion of resistance. Striking parallels with contemporary Afghanistan and Iraq, French "emancipation" produced a backlash that led to deterioration in the social and political position of Muslim women. This analysis of how and why attempts to Westernize Muslim women ended in catastrophe has contemporary relevance and will be important to students and academics engaged in the study of French and colonial history, feminism, and contemporary Islam.

In May 1958, and four years into the Algerian War of Independence, a revolt again appropriated the revolutionary and republican symbolism of the French Revolution by seizing power through a Committee of Public Safety. This book explores why a repressive colonial system that had for over a century maintained the material and intellectual backwardness of Algerian women now turned to an extensive programme of 'emancipation'. After a brief background sketch of the situation of Algerian women during the post-war decade, it discusses the various factors contributed to the emergence of the first significant women's organisations in the main urban centres. It was only after the outbreak of the rebellion in 1954 and the arrival of many hundreds of wives of army officers that the model of female interventionism became dramatically activated. The French military intervention in Algeria during 1954-1962 derived its force from the Orientalist current in European colonialism and also seemed to foreshadow the revival of global Islamophobia after 1979 and the eventual moves to 'liberate' Muslim societies by US-led neo-imperialism in Afghanistan and Iraq. For the women of Bordj Okhriss, as throughout Algeria, the French army represented a dangerous and powerful force associated with mass destruction, brutality and rape. The central contradiction facing the mobile socio-medical teams teams was how to gain the trust of Algerian women and to bring them social progress and emancipation when they themselves were part of an army that had destroyed their villages and driven them into refugee camps.

This electronic version has been made available under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) open access license. Burning the veil draws upon sources from newly-opened archives, exploring the ‘emancipation'of Muslim women from the veil, seclusion and perceived male oppression during the Algerian War of decolonisation. The claimed French liberation was contradicted by the violence inflicted on women through rape, torture and destruction of villages. This book examines the roots of this contradiction in the theory of ‘revolutionary warfare', and the attempt to defeat the National Liberation Front by penetrating the Muslim family, seen as a bastion of resistance. Striking parallels with contemporary Afghanistan and Iraq, French ‘emancipation'produced a backlash that led to deterioration in the social and political position of Muslim women. This analysis of how and why attempts to Westernise Muslim women ended in catastrophe has contemporary relevance and will be important to students and academics engaged in the study of French and colonial history, feminism and contemporary Islam. Burning the veil draws upon sources from newly-opened archives, exploring the 'emancipation' of Muslim women from the veil, seclusion and perceived male oppression during the Algerian War of decolonisation. The claimed French liberation was contradicted by the violence inflicted on women through rape, torture and destruction of villages. This book examines the roots of this contradiction in the theory of 'revolutionary warfare', and the attempt to defeat the National Liberation Front by penetrating the Muslim family, seen as a bastion of resistance. Striking parallels with contemporary Afghanistan and Iraq, French 'emancipation' produced a backlash that led to deterioration in the social and political position of Muslim women. This analysis of how and why attempts to Westernise Muslim women ended in catastrophe has contemporary relevance and will be important to students and academics engaged in the study of French and colonial history, feminism and contemporary Islam. Front matter Dedication Contents List of illustrations and tables Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Glossary Introduction From the Sétif Massacre to the November insurrection: the origins of the Algerian women’s movement, 1945–54 The origins of the emancipation campaign, November 1954 to May 1958 Unveiling: the ‘revolutionary journées’ of 13 May 1958 The propaganda offensive and the strategy of contact The Mouvement de solidarité féminine: army wives and domesticating the ‘native’ Military ‘pacification’ and the women of Bordj Okhriss The mobile socio-medical teams (EMSI): making contact with peasant society The battle over the personal status law of 19591 The FLN and the role of women during the war From women’s radical nationalism to the restoration of patriarchy (1959–62) The post-independence state and the conservative marginalisation of women Conclusion: the failure of history Primary sources and select bibliography Index During the Algerian War the French army engaged in the 'emancipation' of Muslim women, to subvert the nationalist movement while inflicting widespread violence. This contradictory, catastrophic policy, as in contemporary Afghanistan and Iraq, revealed the failure of imposed Westernisation and triggered an Islamist backlash against women's rights. -- . During the Algerian War the French army engaged in the 'emancipation' of Muslim women as part of a strategy of subverting the nationalist movement whilst also inflicting widespread violence. First comprehensive study in English of the role of Muslim women during the Algerian war, bringing a unique interdisciplinary approach to the subject.