Crafting Marriages - (Critical Arab American Studies) by Enaya Hammad Othman (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This title provides a detailed ethnographic study of marriage patterns among Palestinian American women from the 1950s to the 2020s, and how these women have reimagined and reshaped marriage practices across generations"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

In Crafting Marriages: Palestinian American Women Transforming Gender Boundaries, Enaya Othman draws on three decades of ethnographic research to chart how Palestinian women have reimagined and reshaped marriage practices across generations. Through careful analysis of over sixty personal narratives, family documents, and marriage videos, Othman reveals how these women have become key agents of cultural change, negotiating between traditional expectations and contemporary possibilities. Her research highlights the complexity of Palestinian American marriages, shaped by the dynamic interplay of religious identity, cultural heritage, and modern American life.

Othman's groundbreaking study shows how the rise of global Islamic revival movements since the 1970s have created new opportunities for Palestinian women to challenge traditional marriage customs. By emphasizing Islamic values over ethnic ties, younger generations are expanding the boundaries of acceptable marriage partners across racial, cultural, and national lines, reshaping the meaning of marriage in diaspora. Crafting Marriages provides valuable insights into how Palestinian American women navigate the balance between tradition and transformation, contributing to broader discussions on gender, agency, and cultural change in transnational contexts.

Review Quotes

A must read book to understand gender and gender dynamics of Palestinian communities in the diaspora. The book provides deep analysis on marriage and women's role in knitting networks to craft marriage in the diasporic Palestinian communities.-- "Islah Jad, author of Palestinian Women's Activism"

Othman's most urgent contribution affirms the power of Muslim Palestinian American women in marriage choices. Crating Marriages is a foundational and long-awaited contribution to the social sciences, the humanities, and anyone interested in gaining a nuanced understanding of gender and family in this community.-- "Nadine Naber, University of Illinois at Chicago"

By centering women's experiences, agency, and voice, the book provides important insights into the ways in which women, individually and collectively, rework and redefine gender norms and practices, social expectations, and marital unions both in the private sphere and outside of it.-- "Dana Olwan, coeditor of Muslim Mothering: Local and Global Histories, Theories, and Practices"

Offers us profound insights into the experiences of Palestinian American women with marriage, gender norms, education, and migration.-- "Juliane Hammer, coeditor of Muslim Women and Gender Justice"

About the Author

Enaya Hammad Othman is professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Marquette University. She is the founder of Arab and Muslim Women's Research and Resource Institute.