Why do some Muslim women veil and others don’t? Why do some cover their face and even their eyes? Do women have any choice in adopting veiling? Does veiling pose a threat to national and international security? Discover the multitude of meanings behind veiling - the religious and political dimensions, the historical, economic, social, cultural and personal. Sahar will discuss the implications of national policy and political extremism on the lives of women who choose to veil or not to veil.
BIO
Sahar Amer (PhD, Yale University) is Professor and Chair of the Department of Arabic Language and Cultures at the University of Sydney. Her award-winning research focuses on gender and sexuality in Arab and Muslim societies and on comparative, cross-cultural relations between Arab Muslim societies and the West. Her third book is titled What Is Veiling? (University of North Carolina Press September 2014). Sahar has featured in numerous radio and TV programs including The Drum (ABC), Australia Radio National, ABC 702, SBS Radio, Monocle 24 Radio (London), and the ‘Here and Now’ Program on National Public Radio (USA). She is recipient of several international awards, including a National Humanities Center Fellowship (USA) and a Fulbright.
