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Veiled Superheroes: Islam, Feminism, and Popular Culture
This groundbreaking study examines Muslim female superheroes within a matrix of Islamic theology, feminism, and contemporary political discourse. Through a close reading of texts including Ms. Marvel, Qahera, and The 99, Sophia Rose Arjana argues that these powerful and iconic characters reflect independence and agency, reflecting the diverse lives of Muslim girls and women in the world today.
- GenresIslam
179 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 13, 2022
When I first saw this book many years ago, I was charmed by the beautiful cover and the tantalizing title - "Veiled Superheroes: Islam, Feminism, and Popular Culture."
Promising to examine Muslimah superheroes (specifically Ms Marvel, Burka Avenger, Qahera, and a couple others), and the role of superheroes in popular culture, this book could have been truly fascinating.
Instead, I found myself annoyed with every single chapter. Initially, there were valid points made about Orientalism & portrayals of Islam/ Muslim in Western media/pop culture, but after that, it all went downhill.
Lots of incessant academic jargon, paired with Muslamic terminology used in the wrong context, demonstrating that the author is not a "genuine" Muslim, but someone ethnic who claims the title for "native informant" points; endless shoehorning of "queering" narratives & projecting them upon Muslim women; talking about hijab & "representation" without ever acknowledging hijab as a religious commandment & act of worship, but reducing it to "empowerment" or "oppression" depending on who it's connected with... and usage of the term "Islamist" CONSTANTLY without ever actually defining it (but using it in incredibly stupid ways, like "Islamist misogyny" wtfluff).
The author spends the entire book trying to contrast "patriarchal/ misogynistic Islam" with "liberationist Islam" in the same old tired narrative of "religious Muslims bad, progressive Muslims good." In the entire book, she makes a handful of valid points, and even ends on an (almost) high note by drawing parallels between Muslim superhero values & futuwwa - but then just... stops there without any real, deeper exploration.
I was left disappointed by the shallowness & mediocrity of the whole thing. Only managed to get through it bc I'm into the whole superhero comics thing & bc I was hella annoyed. Very poor academic endeavor. No idea how it passed the draft phase. Super lame.
Promising to examine Muslimah superheroes (specifically Ms Marvel, Burka Avenger, Qahera, and a couple others), and the role of superheroes in popular culture, this book could have been truly fascinating.
Instead, I found myself annoyed with every single chapter. Initially, there were valid points made about Orientalism & portrayals of Islam/ Muslim in Western media/pop culture, but after that, it all went downhill.
Lots of incessant academic jargon, paired with Muslamic terminology used in the wrong context, demonstrating that the author is not a "genuine" Muslim, but someone ethnic who claims the title for "native informant" points; endless shoehorning of "queering" narratives & projecting them upon Muslim women; talking about hijab & "representation" without ever acknowledging hijab as a religious commandment & act of worship, but reducing it to "empowerment" or "oppression" depending on who it's connected with... and usage of the term "Islamist" CONSTANTLY without ever actually defining it (but using it in incredibly stupid ways, like "Islamist misogyny" wtfluff).
The author spends the entire book trying to contrast "patriarchal/ misogynistic Islam" with "liberationist Islam" in the same old tired narrative of "religious Muslims bad, progressive Muslims good." In the entire book, she makes a handful of valid points, and even ends on an (almost) high note by drawing parallels between Muslim superhero values & futuwwa - but then just... stops there without any real, deeper exploration.
I was left disappointed by the shallowness & mediocrity of the whole thing. Only managed to get through it bc I'm into the whole superhero comics thing & bc I was hella annoyed. Very poor academic endeavor. No idea how it passed the draft phase. Super lame.
October 31, 2018
Super short, but highly informative. I'm writing my dissertation on Marvel superheroes and the lack of diversity in the films, and this has seriously helped my analysis. I'll definitely be using this as a reference!
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January 29, 2018741.5382 A7199 2018
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews