Biography

Leila Ahmed's 1992 book Women and Gender in Islam is often seen as the authoritative text on the subject. She is currently at work on a project aimed at fostering inclusion of diverse voices in the debate among Muslim Americans on issues relating to women, gender and sexuality. It will be the first project to map the spectrum of Muslim views on these issues, and to focus on U.S. Muslim organizations.

Resources by this expert

• A Border Passage: From Cairo to America—A Women's Journey (1999)
• Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate (1992)

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 15, 2007, "Conversions unveiled; Appeal of Islam to women explored"
• Newsweek, February 26, 2007,"The Controversial Memoir of a Muslim Woman"
• Speaking of Faith, December 7, 2006, host Krista Tippett, Muslim Women and Other Misunderstanding
• Washington Post, October 22, 2006, by Farzaneh Milani, Coverings Uncovered
• Newsweek, December 12, 2005 "Reform: Not Ignorant, Not Helpless; the West is focused on the extreme cases of oppression against Muslim women. But there's another world out there"
• Speaking of Faith, October 13, 2005, "The Discourse of the Veil"
• The Al Franken Show, August 28, 2005 "Women and the Iraqi Constitution"
• The San Francisco Chronicle, August 25, 2005 "Bush Pressured to Protect Rights of Iraqi Women"
• Christian Science Monitor, December 28, 2004 " US Latinas seek answers in Islam"
• Financially Speaking (WBNW AM 1120, Boston), June 25, 2004: Discussion of gender roles in Islam, and the changing role of women in Islamic society
• NPR, Talk of the Nation, October 22, 2003, "Islamic Feminism"
• Chronicle of Higher Education, July 25, 2003, "Lives of Learning"
• Publisher's Weekly, April 14, 2003, "Veiling, Representation, and Contemporary Art"
• CNN International, "What are Muslim Extremist Groups Fighting For?" July 18, 2002
• National Public Radio, "Fresh Air" interview, December 3, 2001

Organizational links for this expert

Harvard University Faculty Page

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