The Politics of the Veil (The Public Square)

I sold this book back to the campus book store at the end of the semester and I'm kicking myself for it. I really enjoyed this book and it gave me a fresh understanding to the conflicts around the veil (and its various names and forms). I walked away with an informed stance on this political issue. Yes, this book leans more on the side of "Let them wear it if they want" but it is not overly unbalanced.I would recommend this book to anyone who has an active mind in modern politics.

The book offers interesting facts...but is a little bit light in my opinion. It lacks depth.The seller was great though! Great quality book, received in days...

Scott could have gone deeper in many areas or added an appendix if she felt that would take her off topic. good entry level book and for non academics.

Found this so engaging and interesting. It definitely sheds light and gives an insight to socio-political situation in France.

Joan Wallach Scott's thesis is that banning the veil in French schools has only exacerbated the differences and tensions between the French Muslim and French non-Muslim populations. I think she makes a legitimate argument for this contention.However in the process of making her case, she manages to systematically bash the French in general for being racist, sexist, colonialist, elitist and probably some other -"ists" I can't remember. No one is spared, neither government officials, nor teachers, nor politicians, nor intellectuals, nor feminists, nor the guys she overheard in the post office.Having lived in an Islamist state doesn't impress her either. Check out this passage from page 163:"Chahdortt Djavann, whose claim to expertise was her own experience in Iran, offered sensationist tales of women't lack of freedom in Muslim countries (maybe because they are true?)...Djavann stated not only that women were oppressed in "Islamic societies" (her quotes), but also (in terms of colonial attitudes I described in chapter 2) that the separation of the sexes necessarily gave rise to rape and prostitution."Okay not only does she dismiss a woman with real experience living in a theocracy, but also accuses an Iranian woman of having colonial attitudes. Maybe if this woman had read about living in Iran in a journal instead of actually having lived there she would have gotten more respect, but oh wait, what am i saying, she blows off all the French intellectuals too.Scott never even directly acknowledges (that I could tell) that assimilation is a problem or even desirable. She ends up the book by saying something to the effect that the French need to find a better way to negotiate "being-in-common", whatever that means.I would ask her, specifically what she would have the French do?

Read this book for a class recently (Politics of Immigration) and it really detailed historically, France's position on immigration and assimilation. Excellent read!

I got what I order Its okay I liked this product. I will used this product for a long time

The author is prone to using generalizations and hyperbole. The analysis and research scratches the surface (and at times is questionable in authenticity). Instead it seems to be targeted towards the general American audience that has rudimentary knowledge of the subject.