Mixed Blessings

This volume analyzes the effect of religious fundamentalism on gender roles in a variety of religions and nations. It argues that some women benefit from fundamentalism, gaining economic power and autonomy, while others manoeuvre within its restrictions. Geographically, the text ranges from American Christians to Islamic groups in the Middle East and China, and from Israeli Jews to Indian Hindus and Sri Lankan Buddhists. Detailed descriptions of women's lives are provided in order to illustrate the complexity of the intersection of gender and fundamentalism.