Muslim Women and Sport

Abstract

Muslim Women and Sport: Tansin Benn, Gertrud Pfister, and Haifaa Jawad (Eds.). This book provides a powerful and valuable introduction to the global experiences, challenges, and achievements of Muslim women participating in physical activities and sport. Muslim Women and Sport is the first book (in range, depth, and courage) to discuss the sensitive issues of religion, culture, gender, sport, and diverse realities in the lives of many Muslim girls and women from across Europe, North and South Africa, and many countries of the Middle East. The challenges and opportunities for women in sport in both Muslim and non-Muslim countries are well documented in the book, offering illustrations of diverse realities in this regard. It is a collection of works by researchers and practitioners in sport who are experts in Muslim women's issues, either through personal experiences or through working alongside Muslim girls and women to increase knowledge and understanding of issues related to participation in physical activity. The book provides the only international collection of such works to date. Twenty-three authors from both Western and Eastern backgrounds contributed to this collection, allowing for rich insights from a variety of points of view and perspectives. Diverse ideological orientations, life histories, and contexts are mirrored in their writings. The book is divided into four parts. The introduction and conclusion by the editors (Benn, Pfister & Jawad) contain useful overviews of the field, history of the emergence of international dialogue, and recommendations for ways to increase participation opportunities for Muslim girls and women globally. Part one contains three chapters and examines underpinning perspectives. Chapter one (by Dagkas, Koushkie-Jahromi, & Talbot) reaffirms the value of physical education, physical activities, and sport in the lives of young Muslim women. One of the interesting ideas discussed in this chapter is that while in Islamic countries, such as Iran, the sporting structure builds in Islamic requirements for modesty in dress and sex segregation, Muslim women in more Westernised or secular contexts can struggle to find conducive environments in which to practice physical education or sport. Generally, the topics of Islam, women, and sport have been discussed in different languages in the Islamic world; however, there is very little such literature written in the English language (for greater global access). Chapter two of the book (by Jawad, Al-Sinani, & Benn) takes an important critical-historical approach to issues of religion and culture by examining tenets of early and revivalist Islam, in order to increase understanding of the diversity of Muslim women's experiences described in the book. It clarifies overlaps of religion and culture that are sometimes used to limit or restrict women's participation in physical activity, and explains the diverse ways in which faith is embodied and expressed throughout the book. The overall conclusion of this chapter is that Islam promotes good health and fitness, and encourages both men and women to engage in physical activity to maintain healthy lifestyles. Chapter three (Pfister) gives a valuable overview of socio-cultural theories used to explore issues of religion, culture, and gender, and applies these in a case study in Denmark where migrant Muslim women meet European sporting structures not designed to meet Islamic requirements. Part two of the book documents different experiences of Muslim women in sport from Islamic and non-Islamic countries. …