Veiled Figures : Women, Modernity, and the Spectres of Orientalism

Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, public debates about Islam and the veil have become increasingly divisive. Yet few acknowledge that this fascination with veiling goes back more than three centuries. In Veiled Figures , Teresa Heffernan explores how the clash of civilizations is perpetuated by the rhetoric of veiling and unveiling. Drawing on travel narratives, harem literature, and other stories, Heffernan argues that women’s bodies have been used to exacerbate the divide between religion and reason in the eighteenth century, the Islamic umma and the Western nation in the nineteenth, and Islamism and global capitalism in the contemporary period. Through the study of the writings of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Anna Bowman Dodd, Demetra Vaka Brown, Zeyneb Hanoum, and others, Heffernan’s book demonstrates the ways in which these works complicate and interrupt these divides, opening up new opportunities for a more constructive dialogue between East and West. In Veiled Figures, Teresa Heffernan Explores How The Clash Of Civilizations Is Perpetuated By The Rhetoric Of Veiling And Unveiling. Drawing On Travel Narratives, Harem Literature, And Other Stories, Heffernan Argues That Womens Bodies Have Been Used To Exacerbate The Divide Between Religion And Reason In The Eighteenth Century, The Islamic Umma And The Western Nation In The Nineteenth, And Islamism And Global Capitalism In The Contemporary Period. Through The Study Of The Writings Of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Anna Bowman Dodd, Demetra Vaka Brown, Zeyneb Hanoum, And Others, Heffernans Book Demonstrates The Ways In Which These Works Complicate And Interrupt These Divides, Opening Up New Opportunities For A More Constructive Dialogue Between East And West. -- Islam, The Enlightenment, And The Veil -- The Great Whore Of Babylon: Cosmopolitanism And Racialized Nationalism -- Two Western Women Venture East: Lady Annie Brassey And Anna Bowman Dodd -- The Great War And Its Aftermath: Militarized Citizens, (un)veiled Bodies, And The Nation -- The Burqa And The Bikini: Veiling And Unveiling At The Turn Of The Twenty-first Century. Teresa Heffernan. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, public debates about Islam and the veil have become increasingly divisive. Yet few acknowledge that this fascination with veiling goes back more than three centuries. In Veiled Figures, Teresa Heffernan explores how the clash of civilizations is perpetuated by the rhetoric of veiling and unveiling. Drawing on travel narratives, harem literature, and other stories, Heffernan argues that women s bodies have been used to exacerbate the divide between religion and reason in the eighteenth century, the Islamic umma and the Western nation in the nineteenth, and Islamism and global capitalism in the contemporary period. Through the study of the writings of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Anna Bowman Dodd, Demetra Vaka Brown, Zeyneb Hanoum, and others, Heffernan's book demonstrates the ways in which these works complicate and interrupt these divides, opening up new opportunities for a more constructive dialogue between East and West." "In Veiled Figures, Teresa Heffernan explores how the clash of civilizations is perpetuated by the rhetoric of veiling and unveiling. Drawing on travel narratives, harem literature, and other stories, Heffernan argues that women's bodies have been used to exacerbate the divide between religion and reason in the eighteenth century, the Islamic umma and the Western nation in the nineteenth, and Islamism and global capitalism in the contemporary period. Through the study of the writings of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Anna Bowman Dodd, Demetra Vaka Brown, Zeyneb Hanoum, and others, Heffernan's book demonstrates the ways in which these works complicate and interrupt these divides, opening up new opportunities for a more constructive dialogue between East and West."-- Amazon.com Cover 1 Contents 8 List of Illustrations 10 Acknowledgments 12 Introduction 18 1 Islam, the Enlightenment, and the Veil 29 2 The Great Whore of Babylon: Cosmopolitanism and Racialized Nationalism 62 3 Two Western Women Venture East: Lady Annie Brassey and Anna Bowman Dodd 87 4 The Great War and Its Aftermath: Militarized Citizens, (Un)Veiled Bodies, and the Nation 115 5 The Burqa and the Bikini: Veiling and Unveiling at the Turn of the Twenty-first Century 134 Epilogue: The Spectres of Orientalism 160 Notes 164 Bibliography 194 Index 208 "In Veiled Figures, Teresa Heffernan explores how the clash of civilizations is perpetuated by the rhetoric of veiling and unveiling. Drawing on travel narratives, harem literature, and other stories, Heffernan argues that women's bodies have been used to exacerbate the divide between religion and reason in the eighteenth century, the Islamic umma and the Western nation in the nineteenth, and Islamism and global capitalism in the contemporary period."-- From publisher's website