Rebecca Barlow

Women’s Human Rights and the ‘Muslim Question’ shows how Muslim women have made meaningful contributions to the development of the international framework on gender equality and women’s rights. Her investigation into the women’s movement of Iran offers a practical grounding for this argument, and presents unprecedented findings on how ideological divisions along secular and religious lines have been worked in favour of a rights-based framework for change The book presents a comprehensive synthesis and analysis of the campaign material of the women’s movement ‘Change for Equality Campaign’ – one of the most progressive and sophisticated movements in the Middle East/Central Asia.

Reform, by definition, is not a complete break with tradition, but a determination by scholars, activists, politicians and critical thinkers to re-claim the tenets of their faith. Muslim communities have historically displayed a tendency to preserve the status quo. By contrast, the individuals and movements in Islam and the Question of Reform are determined—often at great personal risk—to push aside existing political and social elites and the historically accepted interpretations of Islam and its place in society. The perspectives examined in this volume avoid superficial or apologetic examinations of Islam's political and social role. Instead, they meticulously scrutinise the religion's public role, often questioning the validity of dogmas that have acted as tools of empowerment for existing elites for centuries.