October 22 — Discuss “French Gender Equality and the Islamic Headscarf” with historian Joan Scott.
Butler is bringing Joan Scott to Indianapolis for a talk about the politics of Muslim veiling in France. If we are fortunate, it may be open to the public.
When: Wednesday October 22, 7:00 PM
Where: Butler University, Robertson Hall Johnson Room
This is from an announcement about a talk Prof. Scott gave earlier this year on “Cover-up: French Gender Equality and the Islamic Headscarf”:
There is much talk these days (in the context of the “clash of civilizations,” Islam vs. the West polemic) about the fact that secularism (separation of church and state) is a guarantee both of democracy and of equal rights between women and men. Joan W. Scott will interrogate that claim by looking both at historical and current examples. Joan W. Scott’s work challenges the foundations of conventional historical practice. Drawing on a range of philosophical thought, as well as on a rethinking of her own training as a labor historian, she has contributed to the formulation of a field of critical history. Written more than 20 years ago, her now classic article, “Gender: A Useful Category of Historical Analysis,” continues to inspire innovative research on women and gender. In her latest work, Scott has been concerned with the ways in which difference poses problems for democratic practice. She has taken up this question in her most recent books: Only Paradoxes to Offer: French Feminists and the Rights of Man (1996) and Parité: Sexual Equality and the Crisis of French Universalism (2005).
Why does Provocate think you should attend this event?
Joan Scott is one of the country’s leading historians, and is worth hearing on almost any topic.
If you think this sounds interesting, be sure to check out …
Abdel-Aziz Shady, a visiting Egyptian scholar, discusses women in contemporary Islam on October 21. Local Middle East activists confer about being heard in DC October 26, and an Israeli peace activist comes to town October 27.
Know before you go:
Read an overview of her book Politics of the Veil, and read how she (like a large majority of the best known AMerican Middle East experts) drives US conservatives nuts.
And for your listening pleasure …
IAM (’Invasion Arrivée de Mars’) is an important African/Islamic hip-hop band from Marseille.
