Women in the Middle East and North Africa : restoring women to history

Tracing the evolution of the role of women from ancient Middle Eastern societies through the 17th century, Guity Nashat employs a rational-choice theoretical framework, examining the interplay between local practices and early Islamic beliefs and institutions. As Islam expanded throughout the area, the foundations of Islamic law and practice with regard to women underwent significant development. Judith Tucker surveys women's gender issues in the 19th- and 20th-century Middle East, with a particular focus on economic activity, access to political power, and contributions to cultural life. Her essay also addresses the role that Islam and indigenous custom are thought to play in shaping women's lives. Contents Glossary Chronology Series Editors' Introduction: Conceptualizing the History of Women in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa Google Introduction Part I: Women in the Middle East: 8000 B.C.E. - C.E. 1800 Part II: Women in the Middle East and North Africa: The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Sources: 8000 B.C.E. - C.E. 1800 Sources: NIneteenth and Twentieth Centuries Notes on Contributors Index Describes changes in women's lives from ancient times to the last two centuries, and discusses how an expanding Islam both changed and was influenced by local customs The treatment of women in Middle Eastern societies is as diverse as these societies themselves.