Download Memoirs of an Early Arab Feminist: The Life and Activism of by Anbara Salam Khalidi, Tarif Khalidi PDF

By Anbara Salam Khalidi, Tarif Khalidi

Memoirs of an Early Arab Feminist is the 1st English translation of the memoirs of Anbara Salam Khalidi, the long-lasting Arab feminist. At a time while ladies are enjoying a number one position within the Arab Spring, this ebook brings to existence an precedent days of social turmoil and women's activism via one amazing life.

Anbara Salam was once born in 1897 to a impressive Sunni Muslim family members of Beirut. She grew up in 'Greater Syria', during which unhindered shuttle among Beirut, Jerusalem and Damascus used to be attainable, and wrote a chain of newspaper articles calling on girls to struggle for his or her rights in the Ottoman Empire. In 1927 she triggered a public scandal through elimination her veil in the course of a lecture on the American collage of Beirut.

Later she translated Homer and Virgil into Arabic and fled from Jerusalem to Beirut following the institution of Israel in 1948. She died in Beirut in 1986. those memoirs have lengthy been acclaimed by means of heart East historians as an important source for the social background of Beirut and the bigger Arab global within the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Show description

Read or Download Memoirs of an Early Arab Feminist: The Life and Activism of Anbara Salam Khalidi PDF

Best israel & palestine books

Britain and the Conflict in the Middle East, 1964-1967: The Coming of the Six-Day War

During this entire learn, Gat appears to be like at British coverage within the interval major as much as the Six-Day battle. even though Britain holds middle degree during this account, the examine discusses in a few element American coverage and its influence at the Arab-Israeli clash. It additionally specializes in the center East water dispute, its effect on destiny occasions, and finally the outbreak of battle in 1967.

Uneasy Neighbors: Israel and the European Union

This booklet bargains an research of the dynamics of Israeli-European relatives and discusses major advancements in that courting from the past due Fifties via to the current day. The emphasis is put on 5 large issues that tackle diversified dimensions of the connection: 1) Israeli-E. U. kin and the Israeli-Palestinian peace approach; 2) Israeli-E.

Trial and Error: Israel's Route from War to De-Escalation (S U N Y Series in Israeli Studies)

"By offering an engaging linkage among Israel's international coverage habit and changes and adjustments in Israeli family politics, Levy is providing a provocative thesis that merits vast readership. i've got without doubt that a few readers will applaud Levy's braveness and thesis, and that others will just do the other.

Extra info for Memoirs of an Early Arab Feminist: The Life and Activism of Anbara Salam Khalidi

Example text

Weddings were among the most joyful of gatherings for women, bringing them together in one public space. I’ll describe these turn-of-the-century weddings in some detail to the young people of today, in case they are unfamiliar with the rituals involved. How did it all begin? The bride and groom had no say whatsoever in the matter. The mother of the groom would begin by making inquiries among families of potential brides with whom marriage would be appropriate, and then by a process of elimination would settle on a number of suitable brides for her son.

Nevertheless, once he proposed, her family was overjoyed, and both the men and women of the family fell over each other to respond positively, imagining that doors of happiness had suddenly opened before them. They were thunderstruck when faced with the girl’s audacity as she refused the marriage offer with determination, sometimes showing stubbornness, at other times pleading. But no one would listen. How could she reveal her secret without inciting their anger or sarcasm? Instead of treating her gently and trying to convince her to accept the suitor for her own good and her future security, and for his own exceptional qualities, they turned on her gruffly and violently, threatening her with all the punishments inspired by their fury.

God knows how many conflicts inevitably arose among such large extended families, though an appearance of harmony was usually maintained. Although I did not grow up in such a family myself, I can imagine the kind of life they led. At our house I only knew my parents and my paternal grandmother. I might add here that polygamy was practically unheard of among Beiruti families, as was divorce. Other than weddings, there were other gatherings which were confined to women, namely reception days. Each lady would make it known that she received visitors on a certain day of the week.

Download PDF sample

Rated 4.38 of 5 – based on 48 votes