Women's Voices in the Modern Middle East   Tags: egypt, iran, middle east, primary source world, primary sources, turkey, women  

Teach about Elif Shafak's fight for freedom of expression through an interview with the Turkish author on NPR.

Discover the underground Iranian music scene and how rapper Salome is using music as a form of social protest.

Explore the power of the blogosphere through Egyptian writer Mona Eltahawy's discussion on women's dress in the Muslim world.

In media representations of Muslim women in the Middle East, images of veils, exoticism and oppressive silence are often standard fare. However, if we explore individual experiences and perspectives, it becomes clear that Muslim women defy one-dimensional stereotypes and that no single image can adequately represent such a diverse population. By examining the lives and work of three Muslim activists living in the Middle East, we uncover stories that are rarely told in history books:  stories that Muslim women tell, rather than the stories that are told about them. We see that instead of silently observing the world around them, these women use music, literature, and the Internet to affect social change both locally and internationally. The song, interview, and blog post featured in these activities challenge long-held stereotypes of Muslim women. These primary sources provide us with an inside look into the complex lives of Muslim women in the Middle East, and showcase their efforts to carve out spaces in which their unique voices can be heard.