Women in the Middle East: Past and Present

This academic investigation from professor and author Keddie (Modern Iran) proves wide-spanning Afghanistan, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain-but struggles for depth amid a shortage of primary source material: ""too little research has been done to provide a true history of how women fared over time in the Middle East."" That said, Keddie makes a dogged effort in Book One to detail the situation of women in ""those classes that are well documented,"" including the distinct cultural and practical barriers among ""Muslim and ethnic majorities,"" successfully crafting a ""general analytic overview"" that traces the seclusion of women through practices adopted by eighth century caliphs, the modernizing reforms of colonial rule and 20th century strides in the women's movement. Book Two concerns the research strategies utilized in her study, adding resonance to her observations and setting the stage for other scholars to take on this ""huge topic."" 24 b&w photos.