Veiling in Africa

Elisha P. Renne is Professor in the Department of Anthropology and the Department for Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan. She is author of The Politics of Polio in Northern Nigeria (IUP, 2010).

"[T]he value of this volume is in its detailed coverage of veiling manifestations in Africa, which indeed fills a descriptive gap. It also explores diverse meanings of veiling, which are added to our understanding of the phenomenon. May 2016"—Africa"This is an exciting and strong collection of original research on women's—and men's—veiling practices in a range of African Muslim settings and the social and religious discourses that accompany changes in dress over time. Taken as a whole, it offers a fascinating overview of African Muslim interpretations of theological debates about 'the veil' and gender relations in Muslim societies while illustrating some of the particular accommodations adopted by African women."—International Journal of African Historical Studies"Overall, Veiling in Africa represents a valuable perspective on a less investigated topic that could be very interesting and novel for Western audiences. And, finally, it should be mentioned that in addition to the general readers, this volume could be of interest to anthropologists, psychologists, and sociologists as well as students of these fields who are interested in both African studies and Islamic cultural practices."—African Studies Quarterly"Although Islam has existed in Africa for more than one thousand years, its influence on material expressive culture (dress, sculpture, painting, architecture) has not been as well explored as indigenous religious and cultural traditions. This volume examines the complex histories, politics, and experiences of wearing Islamic dress in sub-Saharan Africa."—Heather Marie Akou, Indiana University Bloomington"Explores the many meanings and uses of veiling which is so often treated as a monolithic phenomenon emblematic of Islam in different African and African diaspora contexts."—Emma Tarlo, Goldsmiths, University of London

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Veiling/Counter-Veiling in sub-Saharan Africa Elisha RennePart I. Veiling Histories & Modernities1. Veiling, Fashion and Social Mobility: A Century of Change in Zanzibar Laura Fair 2. Veiling Without Veils: Modesty and Reserve in Tuareg Cultural Encounters Susan Rasmussen3. Interwined Veiling Histories in Nigeria Elisha Renne Part II. Veiling & Fashion4. Religious Modesty, Fashionable Glamour, and Cultural Text: Veiling in SenegalLeslie Rabine 5. Modest Bodies, Stylish Selves: Fashioning Virtue in Niger Adeline Masquelier 6. "Should a Good Muslim Cover Her Face?" Pilgrimage, Veiling, and Fundamentalisms in Cameroon José C. M. van Santen Part III. Veiling/Counter-Veiling7. Invoking Hijab: The Power Politics of Spaces and Employment in NigeriaHauwa Mahdi 8. "We Grew Up Free but Here We Have to Cover Our Faces": Veiling among Oromo Refugees in Eastleigh, Kenya Peri M. Klemm 9. Vulnerability Unveiled: Lubna's Pants and Humanitarian Visibility on the Verge of Sudan's Secession Amal Hassan FadlallaList of Contributors Index