Discussion w/ Elizabeth Segran: Feminism in the Islamic World

The Somerville Public Library will host a talk by journalist Elizabeth Segran on the rise of feminism in the Islamic world on Thurs., April 16 at 7 p.m. All are welcome, free of charge.

For centuries, many Muslim women felt they had to choose between feminism and their faith; they believed that these two ideologies were mutually exclusive and incompatible. However, around the world, Muslim women are reexamining the Qua'ran and discovering that it is possible to fight for their rights from within the Islamic tradition.

This talk will survey the strides that women are making to change laws and social values so that women have a more equal role within the Muslim family. The event is a reprise of a program from last-year's NEH/ALA-funded Muslim Journeys series.

Elizabeth Segran is a writer who received her Ph.D. in South and Southeast Asian Studies with a specialization in Women, Gender and Sexuality from the University of California, Berkeley. She contributes to The Atlantic, The Nation, Foreign Affairs and Fast Company.