Books by Amany Abdelrazek-Alsiefy ( أماني الصيفي)
This book discusses Egyptian Muslim women’s dress as the social, political and ideological signif... more This book discusses Egyptian Muslim women’s dress as the social, political and ideological signifier of the changing attitudes towards Western modernity. It employs women’s clothing styles as a feminist act that provides rich insights into the power and limits of legal regulations and hegemonic discourses in constructing gendered and cultural borders in the modern Egyptian public sphere. Furthermore, through highlighting marginalized but significant models and historical moments of cultural exchange between Muslim and Western cultures through female dress, the book tells a third story beyond the binary model of an assumed modest oppressed traditional Muslim woman vis-à-vis consumer emancipated modern Western woman in mainstream Western discourse and literary representation.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Book Reviews by Amany Abdelrazek-Alsiefy ( أماني الصيفي)
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Journal of International Sociology Reviews, 2024
The synergy between philosophy and dictatorship is a rich and multifaceted domain, one that conti... more The synergy between philosophy and dictatorship is a rich and multifaceted domain, one that continues to captivate scholars and thinkers across the globe. Contemporary books exploring this connection illuminate the significance of philosophical thought in the face of oppressive regimes. Researchers encourage us to contemplate how philosophical discourse can challenge and reshape authoritarian structures, ultimately fostering a more just and equitable world. The edited book Philosophizing in the Dictatorship: A Current Debate in Arabic-Speaking Philosophy (2022) embarks on a profound philosophical journey within the confines of authoritarian regimes, shedding light on invaluable insights into the pressing themes that have
emerged in the wake of the Arab uprisings, initiated in 2011. This erudite work delves deeply into the pivotal role of philosophy within the realm of autocratic governance in the Arab world, meticulously scrutinizing the intricate interplay between philosophical discourse and the ever-shifting dynamics of the political landscape. Consequently, it offers a discerning analysis of the authoritarian machinery, exploring both its covert underpinnings and its overt manifestations. In the form of articles, critical interviews, and personal memoirs, this book prominently features the contributions of 11 Arab researchers and activists in the public sphere. Their collective efforts serve to introduce a philosophical discourse steeped in a post- colonial interculturalperspective, thereby enriching the dialogue and providing a multifaceted understanding of the subject matter. The book delves into the following critical questions:
(1)How does the intricate relationship between philosophy and dictatorship shape the intellectual landscape, and what broader implications does this connection hold for scholars and thinkers?
2. Drawing from contemporary Arab societies, what specific instances illustrate the substantial influence of philosophical thought in either challenging or reinforcing oppressive regimes, and what are the potential repercussions in terms of promoting a more just and equitable society?
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The Purple Color of Kurdish Politics follows the stories of 22 female Kurdish
politicians detain... more The Purple Color of Kurdish Politics follows the stories of 22 female Kurdish
politicians detained in Turkish prisons since 2016 because of their alleged affiliation with armed organizations. Thousands of members of
the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (Halkların Demokratik Partisi, HDP)
were arrested, including mayors, parliamentarians, and even party leaders,
under claims that the HDP has strong links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK), which the Turkish state considers a terrorist organization. At the same
time, critics see such moves as a pretext used to disarm one of President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s staunchest opponents. The Purple Color of Kurdish Politics
brings to light the account of revolutionary Kurds fighting for their rights in
Turkey, and the brutal Turkish suppression of those rebel Kurds since the
1970s, through memoirs underlining the entangled relationships of women’s
rights, colonialism, and politics.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Papers by Amany Abdelrazek-Alsiefy ( أماني الصيفي)
Journal of Holy Land and Palestine studies, Apr 1, 2024
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
International sociology, Mar 1, 2024
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Springer eBooks, Dec 31, 2022
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Springer eBooks, Dec 31, 2022
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Aboulela, Leila. River Spirit.(London: Saqi Books, 2023), 307 pages.eila Aboulela’s latest histor... more Aboulela, Leila. River Spirit.(London: Saqi Books, 2023), 307 pages.eila Aboulela’s latest historical novel, River Spirit (2023), is a ground-breaking work, that represents a significant period in the modern his-tory of Sudan. River Spiritis also a notable departure from Aboulela’s preceding novels, which primarily dealt with intricate psychological dimen-sions of religion by depicting politically unaffiliated spiritual female protago-nists. Aboulela’s latest main characters have explicit perspectives (supporting or resisting) on the Mahdist revolt (1881-1899) and the concurrent religious and political challenges faced by the Mahdist Sudanese, led by Muhammad Ahmad bin Abdullah. The novel offers a valuable interrogation and subver-sion of conventional Western and Muslim depictions of Muslim women’s marginalized and erased roles in the public sphere, highlighting their contribu-tions to the political history of the region.Beginning in 1877, River Spirit reveals the poignant journey of Akuany and Bol, an orphaned girl and her younger brother, as they navigate the aftermath of their father’s murder and the devastating impact on their village inflicted by slave traders. Rescued by a merchant from Khartoum named Yaseen, who lat-er departs for Cairo to study at Al-Azhar University, Akuany and her brother are entrusted to Yaseen’s sister, Halima. However, as Halima has only daugh-ters, she becomes possessiveoverBol, envisioning him as her future son-in-law. Meanwhile, Akuany, who has developed deep affection for Yaseen and feels a strong connection to him, faces a harsh twist of fate when Halima sells her to Nazli Hanim, the wife of a Turkish governor. This marks a major turn-ing point in Akuany’s arduous journey, characterized by enslavement and hu-miliation in the household of the Turkish ruler. The narrative then takes an-other compelling turn as Akuany’sjourney continues with a Scottish painter named Robert until she eventually reunites with Yaseen, who is in hiding from the persecution of the Mahdi fighters due to his steadfast refusal to ac-knowledge the Mahdi’s authority. Akuany’s story involves diverse households that showcase the intricate social and political conflicts within both Sudanese Muslim society and a Western household. The narrative skillfully provides readers with a nuanced exploration of historical and cultural landscapes during the Mahdist revolt era while also navigating themes such as enslavement, discrimination, religious extremism, and imperialism
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
This paper traces the widespread wave of fashionable headscarf-wearers (hijabs) in Muslim societi... more This paper traces the widespread wave of fashionable headscarf-wearers (hijabs) in Muslim societies in an attempt to illustrate how the contemporary spirit of consumer culture informs female´s self-image and behaviour in the context of post-colonial literature. I am going to do that concerning the voices of the fictional female figures in Habib Al-Selmi´s novel "The Women of al-Basatin (2010) Habib Salmi is a renowned Arab writer whose modern Arabic literature explores the relationship/ clash between Eastern and Western values. In this paper, I aim to highlight the meanings attributed to this practice of head-covering as in contemporary consumerist Tunisian society individually, culturally and contextually assigned.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Shakespeare's plays depict the turn from the
pre-modern era with its traditional values and mores... more Shakespeare's plays depict the turn from the
pre-modern era with its traditional values and mores into
the modern approach towards life and individuals. These
plays deal with specific questions that were significant in
Shakespeare's time and his cultural contexts, such as the
mores and meanings of Christian values in the society,
the rise of humanism, monarchy and questions related to
the economy. Nonetheless, Shakespeare´s questions on
religious values and the modern individual seem to be
relevant today, in particular, with the recent post-modern
discussions on the limits of secular rational modernity
and a return to a new condition of believing in
contemporary societies. Taking the character of Iago as
my reference point, I shall attempt to reread Iago´s
actions and psyche in light of a critique of the narcissist
character along with the modern individual´s rational
attitude towards life
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
This paper draws on secularisation and feminist theories to analyse the intersection between poli... more This paper draws on secularisation and feminist theories to analyse the intersection between political, religious and economic factors in defining the gendered borders and women's rights in the modern Egyptian public sphere. However, this present study concludes that the struggle for power between Islamists and secular-oriented forces and the rise of interactive social media platforms in a patriarchal class society revived the heated debates on women's rights, gendered spaces and the role of religion in the public sphere. Discussions point to a wide range of Egyptians' responses to these issues and also suggest that a new feminist consciousness and behaviour are growing. This new feminist consciousness is more grounded in a socioeconomic context than a religious one. Therefore, this study suggests a need for serious societal and legal discussions to re-actualise laws pertaining to women's rights and visibility in the public sphere. These laws and a pro-women discourse should cope with the current socioeconomic context and individuals' needs and aspirations in their globalized societies.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Thesis Chapters by Amany Abdelrazek-Alsiefy ( أماني الصيفي)
The debates over the relationship between a Western secular modernity associated with specific hi... more The debates over the relationship between a Western secular modernity associated with specific historical practices and secular modernity as a universal category have never lost their momentum as a controversial topic in the discourse of modernization and the nature of both the modern society and individual While according to the prevailing discourse in the West a universal secularism is based on a universal reason valid to all cultures, other Western as well as non-Western thinkers and sociologists, in particular postcolonial scholars, refute the possibility of a singular secular paradigm valid for all times. They argue that such a universal paradigm with its Western ideals negates non- Western histories and philosophies and thus is a hegemonic model of modernity. This paper is a critique of the unveiled secular modern / veiled religious traditional divide in the modernist discourse in light of current debates of both postmodernists and neo-secularists. Following the secularization process in postcolonial Tunisia as part of the state´s modernization movement, this paper sheds light on the suppression of the non-Western religious actor under the narrative of a universal rational modernity in the modern age.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Uploads
Books by Amany Abdelrazek-Alsiefy ( أماني الصيفي)
Book Reviews by Amany Abdelrazek-Alsiefy ( أماني الصيفي)
emerged in the wake of the Arab uprisings, initiated in 2011. This erudite work delves deeply into the pivotal role of philosophy within the realm of autocratic governance in the Arab world, meticulously scrutinizing the intricate interplay between philosophical discourse and the ever-shifting dynamics of the political landscape. Consequently, it offers a discerning analysis of the authoritarian machinery, exploring both its covert underpinnings and its overt manifestations. In the form of articles, critical interviews, and personal memoirs, this book prominently features the contributions of 11 Arab researchers and activists in the public sphere. Their collective efforts serve to introduce a philosophical discourse steeped in a post- colonial interculturalperspective, thereby enriching the dialogue and providing a multifaceted understanding of the subject matter. The book delves into the following critical questions:
(1)How does the intricate relationship between philosophy and dictatorship shape the intellectual landscape, and what broader implications does this connection hold for scholars and thinkers?
2. Drawing from contemporary Arab societies, what specific instances illustrate the substantial influence of philosophical thought in either challenging or reinforcing oppressive regimes, and what are the potential repercussions in terms of promoting a more just and equitable society?
politicians detained in Turkish prisons since 2016 because of their alleged affiliation with armed organizations. Thousands of members of
the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (Halkların Demokratik Partisi, HDP)
were arrested, including mayors, parliamentarians, and even party leaders,
under claims that the HDP has strong links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK), which the Turkish state considers a terrorist organization. At the same
time, critics see such moves as a pretext used to disarm one of President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s staunchest opponents. The Purple Color of Kurdish Politics
brings to light the account of revolutionary Kurds fighting for their rights in
Turkey, and the brutal Turkish suppression of those rebel Kurds since the
1970s, through memoirs underlining the entangled relationships of women’s
rights, colonialism, and politics.
Papers by Amany Abdelrazek-Alsiefy ( أماني الصيفي)
pre-modern era with its traditional values and mores into
the modern approach towards life and individuals. These
plays deal with specific questions that were significant in
Shakespeare's time and his cultural contexts, such as the
mores and meanings of Christian values in the society,
the rise of humanism, monarchy and questions related to
the economy. Nonetheless, Shakespeare´s questions on
religious values and the modern individual seem to be
relevant today, in particular, with the recent post-modern
discussions on the limits of secular rational modernity
and a return to a new condition of believing in
contemporary societies. Taking the character of Iago as
my reference point, I shall attempt to reread Iago´s
actions and psyche in light of a critique of the narcissist
character along with the modern individual´s rational
attitude towards life
Thesis Chapters by Amany Abdelrazek-Alsiefy ( أماني الصيفي)
emerged in the wake of the Arab uprisings, initiated in 2011. This erudite work delves deeply into the pivotal role of philosophy within the realm of autocratic governance in the Arab world, meticulously scrutinizing the intricate interplay between philosophical discourse and the ever-shifting dynamics of the political landscape. Consequently, it offers a discerning analysis of the authoritarian machinery, exploring both its covert underpinnings and its overt manifestations. In the form of articles, critical interviews, and personal memoirs, this book prominently features the contributions of 11 Arab researchers and activists in the public sphere. Their collective efforts serve to introduce a philosophical discourse steeped in a post- colonial interculturalperspective, thereby enriching the dialogue and providing a multifaceted understanding of the subject matter. The book delves into the following critical questions:
(1)How does the intricate relationship between philosophy and dictatorship shape the intellectual landscape, and what broader implications does this connection hold for scholars and thinkers?
2. Drawing from contemporary Arab societies, what specific instances illustrate the substantial influence of philosophical thought in either challenging or reinforcing oppressive regimes, and what are the potential repercussions in terms of promoting a more just and equitable society?
politicians detained in Turkish prisons since 2016 because of their alleged affiliation with armed organizations. Thousands of members of
the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (Halkların Demokratik Partisi, HDP)
were arrested, including mayors, parliamentarians, and even party leaders,
under claims that the HDP has strong links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK), which the Turkish state considers a terrorist organization. At the same
time, critics see such moves as a pretext used to disarm one of President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s staunchest opponents. The Purple Color of Kurdish Politics
brings to light the account of revolutionary Kurds fighting for their rights in
Turkey, and the brutal Turkish suppression of those rebel Kurds since the
1970s, through memoirs underlining the entangled relationships of women’s
rights, colonialism, and politics.
pre-modern era with its traditional values and mores into
the modern approach towards life and individuals. These
plays deal with specific questions that were significant in
Shakespeare's time and his cultural contexts, such as the
mores and meanings of Christian values in the society,
the rise of humanism, monarchy and questions related to
the economy. Nonetheless, Shakespeare´s questions on
religious values and the modern individual seem to be
relevant today, in particular, with the recent post-modern
discussions on the limits of secular rational modernity
and a return to a new condition of believing in
contemporary societies. Taking the character of Iago as
my reference point, I shall attempt to reread Iago´s
actions and psyche in light of a critique of the narcissist
character along with the modern individual´s rational
attitude towards life