My current obsession with feminist science fiction led me to brilliant reviews of Vandana Singh’s The Woman Who Thought She Was a Planet at both The F-Word and Ultrabrown. In my earlier post on Islam and feminism in SF I mentioned a few times about how the genre is used to critique some grand narratives… Continue reading Weekend round-up of favourite online reads 11/1
Research and publications
Notes on Islam and feminism in science fiction
I’ve been reading a lot about feminist science fiction lately, mostly of out fascination for its philosophical what-ifs and fantastic plots and situations. And as a casual reader of the genre rather than a fan, I am intrigued by the questions raised by feminist science fiction writers about culture and heteronormativity (guest contributor Gareth shares… Continue reading Notes on Islam and feminism in science fiction
Book review: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin
By special guest contributor, Gareth: A few months ago, Alicia asked me why science fiction was such a boy thing and what is the point of the genre. I cobbled together an answer about science fiction being used to create a narrative space removed from the here and now into which pertinent questions and ideas… Continue reading Book review: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin
Idealising Islamic womanhood, internalising whiteness
The meteoric rise of Malaysian actress Wardina and singer Waheeda in the last few years was by no means an accident. For decades, women who wore the tudung (hijab) had longed for high-profile role models who shared their values and dress code. Representation is, of course, a good thing, but their popularity can be partly… Continue reading Idealising Islamic womanhood, internalising whiteness
Understanding anti-feminism in Malaysia and where it comes from
Okay. This is going to be a super-biased piece from the get-go. I feel the need to write about this because I am TIRED of trying to talk to people about what feminism really is about. There is just so much misunderstanding and lack of information out there in the real world. Feminism is, as… Continue reading Understanding anti-feminism in Malaysia and where it comes from
Book review: The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie – Intimacy and Design by Malu Halasa and Rana Salam
Syria’s unlikely notoriety for racy underwear collides head on with the stereotyped image of the veiled and prudish Muslim woman. In a way, ‘The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie‘ (2008, Chronicle Books) had come at an opportune time to dispel these fossilised images, but at the same time will feed to a ‘Western’ obsession with… Continue reading Book review: The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie – Intimacy and Design by Malu Halasa and Rana Salam
Happy awal Muharram and secular New Year!
I’d like to wish every reader a wonderful Islamic and secular New Year! May 2009/1430 bring us more peace and happiness. As for those new year’s resolutions, I’m planning on upgrading my library with more books on gender studies with a postcolonialist slant and Malay novels (because you can never have enough books), but paradoxically,… Continue reading Happy awal Muharram and secular New Year!
Book review: Contrary Visions – Women and Work in Malay Novels Written by Women by Christine Campbell
Despite the clunky title, Contrary Visions (2004, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka) offers a rather comprehensive review of novels by Malay women written between 1940 and 1995, including a couple of early Indonesian novels thrown in for good, hazy archipelagoan measure. Alongside Virginia Hooker’s Writing a New Society: Social Change Through the Novel in Malay (2000),… Continue reading Book review: Contrary Visions – Women and Work in Malay Novels Written by Women by Christine Campbell
Year end hiatus
Allow me to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting my fledgling blog these last few months. I would also like to thank all the blogs that were kind enough to promote my little corner of thoughts. This blog started out as a project to practice my writing skills and an extension of my… Continue reading Year end hiatus
Happy Eid al-Adha
Wishing all Muslims a blessed Eid al-Adha and Selamat Hari Raya Haji! More great pictures of Eid al-Adha celebrated around world at The Guardian.
Alicia Izharuddin 