"Women and Gender in Islam"
Sandy Russell, Associate Professor, Departments of History & Religion, Rutgers University
Muslim women have now entered every profession, play Olympic sports, and are present in pop culture as well as the US Congress. Nevertheless, they are still frequently misunderstood by the American public. Often seen as oppressed, they are considered victims of a religion that institutionalizes sexism and inequality. In this seminar, you’ll be exposed to the perspectives of Muslim women themselves: what they have to say about their status in the Qur’an, Islamic law (the Shari`a), contemporary religious life, and most importantly, their frequent status as pawns in global geopolitics.