Muslim Women Speak

Amani Hamdan is a prize-winning scholar and popular speaker on topics relating to Muslim women's identity and education. Her current research focuses on the educational experiences of Arab Muslim women, human rights issues, and women in science. Originally from Saudi Arabia, Dr. Hamdan now lives in Ottawa where she is an adjunct professor and researcher at the University of Ottawa.

• PrologueChapter One: Arabian Nights: One More NightChapter Two: Muslim Women in North AmericaChapter Three: The Beginnings: Arab Muslim Women's StoriesChapter Four: Born Female--Advantages or Limitations?Chapter Five: Religion, Cultural Traditions, and Societal Norms: The ParadoxChapter Six: Talking Equality: Creation from One SoulChapter Seven: Education and Schooling Tales: A Tapestry of Shared Experiences and AspirationsChapter Eight: The Ideal Woman: Illusions or Realities?Chapter Nine: A Muslim Hybrid IdentityChapter Ten: Arab Muslim Women's ActivismChapter Eleven: Diversity versus HomogeneityChapter Twelve: ConclusionEpilogueAppendix A: GroundworkAppendix B: Letter of InformationAppendix C: Identification Questions (Background Questions)Appendix D: Arab Muslim Women Interview Guide

This important book is honest, compelling, and beautifully written. One dives into the lives of women who share their tensions and their joys; we understand the contexts of their lives and dreams. The author does a beautiful job of presenting the contradictions in the women's words, a signal in itself of the difficulties these women face."" - Didi Khayatt, Faculty of Education, York University