Encountering the Transnational: Women, Islam and the Politics of Interpretation

Encountering the Transnational fills a silence, draws attention to an emergent phenomenon and develops an understanding of its meaning for social agents. For decades women's activism in the Islamic world was perceived as largely secular. Women generally relied upon secular and national discourse to advance claims to equality in the private and public spheres and at times formed transnational networks of solidarity. The resurgence of transnational Islamic revivalism and reformism has begun to alter the character of women's activism.Sharify-Funk wanted to know how women were experiencing this emergent field, what it means to them, how it is affecting them and how it shapes how they perceive their roles in society. To do so she sought to encounter a range of Muslim women in North America, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia whose experiences were remarkable both in their uniqueness and in the common threads that appeared to bind them.A valuable resource for scholars, students and practitioners in Islamic studies, gender studies, Middle Eastern studies, cultural communications and international relations and political science.