Féminismes arabes séculiers et voilement du corps des femmes dans le processus de la réislamisation

In her lecture entitled Féminismes arabes séculiers et voilement du corps des femmes dans le processus de la réislamisation [Secular Arab feminisms and veiling of women's bodies in the process of re-Islamization], she gives an overview of the secular feminist movements having their historic and sociological roots in the societies of the Middle East and North Africa, and analyses the postulates of the discourses of Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist players and of Islamic feminists on the place of women in the private sphere and in the public space and on the question of the veil.

In the text that accompanies the lecture Le statut du Coran à la lumière de l’islamologie appliquée de Mohammed Arkoun : la thèse mu‘tazilite du Coran créé [The status of the Quran in the light of the applied Islamology of Mohammed Arkoun: the mu'tazilite thesis of the “created” Quran], she highlights the thesis of the historicity of the Quranic discourse advocated by Arkoun and defended by the rationalist theological movement the Mu'tazilites (eighth century), which removes the Quranic corpus from the impenetrable register of eternity, placing it at the service of human reason. This thesis is rejected by Sunni orthodoxy, which considers it necessary to follow the sacred texts strictly and to the letter, avoiding any interpretations which deviate from their literal meaning.

The lecture and text will be available as from April 29 on the websites of Crosstalks and Moussem. The lecture of Leïla Tauil is in French, but subtitled in Dutch and English. The text will be available in French, Dutch and English.

Part of Critical Thinking within Islam, a series of talks presented by VUB Crosstalks and Moussem. Contrary to common perception, Islam has been nurtured and questioned throughout history by philosophers and dissidents, and to this day lives a fascinating culture of debate that is at odds with the delusion of a 'pure', unchanging religion. The series features a range of great thinkers whose lectures and essays offer remarkable insights into a rich philosophical and intellectual tradition.

Photo Leïla Tauil overview page: © Alain Grosclaude