Synopses & Reviews
Shakir tells the long neglected story of the
bint arab—the Arab woman—in the United States. Drawing on primary sources such as club minutes, census records, and dozens of interviews, she explores the experience of late 19th- and early 20th-century immigrants—mostly Christian peasants from Lebanon and Syria—and their American-born daughters. Later, she moves on to the well-assimilated granddaughters (many of whom have reidentified with the Arab community and begun to fight its political battles). The work concludes with those women—most of them Muslim—who have emigrated over the last quarter century from many Arab countries, particularly Palestinians.
While attempting to correct stereotypes that picture Arab women as passive, mindless, and downtrodden, Shakir gives voice to women caught in a tug of war, usually waged within the family, between traditional values and the social and sexual liberties permitted women in the West. Complicating that battle has been the American suspicion of Arab peoples, which has sometimes pushed women—as guardians of a culture under attack—to resist the blandishments of American society. However, the sense of embattlement has sometimes had the opposite outcome, legitimizing women's activities in the public and political realm. Leavened with personal reminiscences by the author, this book introduces a gallery of spirited women, speaking candidly about their differing backgrounds, values, and aspirations. Essential for all scholars and students of America's social and religious diversity.
Review
As the first full-length study of Arab American women, past and present, Bint Arab is an exciting new supplement to courses on Islamic and Middle Eastern cultures. Its in-depth portraits not only make good reading but also help shatter Western stereotypes of the Arab woman. This is a book that will appeal to students at every level.Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad Professor of History of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations Georgetown University
Review
Shakir manages to provide an interdisciplinary approach in her work, giving the reader an insight into Arab customs and traditions, and into the women's intimate consciousness....The book is a valuable reference on the America society seen through Arab women immigrants' eyes....It is with great joy and interest that I read this book!Journal of Third World Studies
Review
In this well-researched and well-written work, Evelyn Shakir tells the story of Arab women who have come to the United States, from the earliest peddlers to the most recent Palestinian refugees. Through oral histories and personal memories , she breathes life into a cast of diverse, lively, and memorable characters. Bint Arab is a welcome and needed contribution to the literature of American ethnic and women's history.Rudolph J. Vecoli Professor and Director, Immigration History Research Center University of Minnesota
Review
American libraries and bookstores have long been waiting for a book like Evelyn Shakir's Bint Arab....Shakir has written a thoughtful and moving text that brings to light, through a skillful blend of scholarship and oral storytelling, the largely untold history of a century of Arab immigration to the United States....Never before has the Arab-American experience been chronicled in just this fashion....Shakir should be thanked for having had the courage to write it.Wellesley
Review
Weaving together the personal narratives of a number of women of different generations and experiences (including those in her own family), Shakir compares their lives and experiences as they negotiated their way between the demands of their own cultural tradtions and the opportunitites provided by their new adopted country. A rich and complex portrait of Arab women and their culture emerges, one that should serve as a corrective to the negative and simplistic stereotype about Arab womern in the West.Choice
Synopsis
This is the first book-length account of Arab American women.
Synopsis
Shakir tells the long neglected story of the bint arab--the Arab woman--in the United States. Weaving together a survey from the late 19th century to the present, she focuses on each generation's negotiation between traditional Arab values and the social and sexual liberties permitted women in the West. Interspersing oral histories, Shakir challenges stereotypes and creates a unique and fascinating portrait of an often misunderstood group.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [213]-218) and index.
About the Author
EVELYN SHAKIR, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants, has been writing for many years on the subjects of Arab American women and Arab American literature.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
The First Wave, 1875-1925
Miriam
Katreen
Syrian Immigration
Women Immigrants
Peddlers
Mill Girls, Factory Hands, and Entrepreneurs
Students and Teachers
Clubwomen
Making a Match
From Second Generation to Third
Fighting "Political Racism": Paula
Reconnecting: Linda
Women for Women: Cheryl
Color and Religion: Khadija
The Second Wave, 1945-Present
Prologue
Palestinians: Emily, Ihsan, Najeebi, Suhair, Suad, Nuha, and Nawal, Mona
Collage
Epilogue
Appendix
Bibliography
Index