Elora Shehabuddin Bücher

This book takes a transnational approach to challenge the perception that the Muslim world is uniformly antifeminist. It questions the belief in an inevitable civilizational clash between the "West" and the "Muslim world," a notion that has gained traction in recent decades, as well as the idea that feminism has lagged in Muslim-majority societies. While male bias and privilege exist in both Western and Muslim contexts, the author emphasizes the interconnectedness of efforts to improve women's lives across these regions. The narrative explores how shifting global and local power dynamics—among Europeans, Bengalis, Brahmos, Hindus, and Muslims—have influenced feminist ideas and strategies for change. Since the eighteenth century, as economic, political, and military power has increasingly favored Euro-American nations, Muslim advocates for women's rights have had to navigate their reform agendas within the context of Western imperialism. The stories presented illustrate that no society has a monopoly on concepts of justice or experiences of bias and violence; every community is influenced by diverse encounters with those who have different beliefs and practices.