Honour and Shame : Women in Modern Iraq

Honour and Shame: Women in Modern Iraq

By Dr Sanaal Khayyat

Even though the book concentrates on women’s life in Iraq, it explains a LOT about Iraqi society, and why outsiders are having so much trouble establishing order in Iraq.

According to this author, not only is Iraqi society NOT democratically based, it is DICTATORIALLY based. Men dictate to women. Older women dictate to younger women. Women dictate to children – except that male children are allowed to disobey and argue, whereas female children are not. No wonder that a male dictator was ruling the country!

Written by an Iraqi woman herself, who has gotten a western degree, and then gone back to Iraq as a sociologist to study women’s lives, the book is of great interest to women everywhere. She interviews women from all walks of life about their relations with their husbands, brothers, fathers, relationships, careers, and problems. Fascinating, and an excellent read.

‘A unique and shocking testimony.’ –“Studies on Women Abstracts” 
‘This study presents to the reader, in the poignant words of the women themselves, the dilemmas faced by modern Iraqi women.’ –“Arab Book World” 

‘Lives and throbs with the yearning of Arab women to be free of oppressive constraint and submission. This is a memorable and path-finding book, in the vein of other works on Arab women, such as Fatima Mernissi’s Beyond the Veil.’ –“Morning Star “

Language: English
ISBN:0863560504
1990, paperback, 240 pages