Women in Fundamentalism

Book excerpt: Women in Fundamentalism examines the striking similarities in three extreme fundamentalist religious communities in their views about and treatment of women. Whether Christian, Jewish or Muslim, the fundamentalist offshoots of these religions subject women to myriad restrictions in their daily lives. All three seek to maintain male control over women’s bodies, women’s activities, and the people with whom women associate. The three also share common ideologies about women's “true nature" and proper place. The specific cases covered in this text are (1) Mormon polygamists, specifically the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), who live in Utah, Arizona, Texas, and isolated enclaves in Canada and Mexico; (2) the Satmar Hasidim of Williamsburg, Brooklyn; Kiryas Joel, a town in Rockland County, New York, and several settlements in Israel; and, (3) an extreme brand of Islam practiced by the Pashtun ethnic group of Afghanistan and neighboring areas of Pakistan. This book effectively bridges the disciplines of women’s studies, religion, and anthropology, making it a valuable resource for professors and students seeking new qualitative and quantitative material on women’s positions in various religious traditions.