Pageants as Empowerment or Objectification?

Whether participants bare their shoulders or not, women’s beauty pageants are essentially the same, writes Sya Taha. Some Muslims in Indonesia are unhappy about the finals of Miss World 2013 to be held in Bali this week. The event has sparked protests from conservative groups across Indonesia. As a response to classic beauty pageants, Rofi Eka … Read more

A New Feminist Movement? Middle Eastern Hijabis as Superheroes

In the late 1980s, feminism in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) context gained prominence in international debate. Research addressed “the status of women in Muslim countries through two frames: the inhibiting effects of Islam and the potential for reform through norms building.” Many contemporary scholars concluded, “Islam, specifically the prevailing interpretations of Islamic … Read more

Moving tribute to hijabis by Dr Sherman Jackson

Also known as Abdul Hakim Jackson, Dr Sherman A. Jackson is an American scholar who is King Faisal Chair of Islamic Thought and Culture. Watch his moving tribute to Muslim women all around the world for wearing the hijab. Also the Professor of Religion and American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, … Read more