Join us for a special book launch event as Monia Mazigh presents her new book, Gendered Islamophobia: My Journey With a Scar(f), in conversation with Adrian Harewood.
Date: Tuesday June 20, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: Abbotsford House, 950 Bank St, Ottawa
Purchase Gendered Islamophobia
This passionate book describes the author’s struggles as a hijab-wearing Muslim immigrant woman in Canada, and the harmful stereotypes she has encountered in the streets and public spaces, in universities, and in the media.
Monia Mazigh was born and raised in Tunisia and immigrated to Canada in 1991. She speaks Arabic, French, and English fluently and holds a doctorate in finance. Monia was catapulted onto the public stage in 2002 when her husband, Maher Arar, was deported to Syria where he was tortured and held without charge for over a year. She campaigned vigorously for her husband’s release and later fought to re-establish his reputation and sought reparations. Her book, Hope and Despair, details the account of the family’s ordeal. She is also the author of two novels, Mirrors and Mirages, and Hope Has Two Daughters. Another novel, Farida, is forthcoming. She lives in Ottawa.
Adrian Harewood has been a journalist for over a quarter century. He was the anchor of CBC Ottawa News at Six for 13 years, and previously hosted CBC Ottawa’s radio show All in a Day for 3 years. Harewood joined Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication in 2021, where he created the school's first-ever course focused on race, a graduate seminar called Journalism, Race and Diversity. He also created the first course in Canada devoted to the study of the History of Black Canadian Journalism.
“Dr Monia Mazigh’s journey as a Canadian Muslim woman, from her native Tunisia to her immigration to Quebec, eloquently invites us to examine the colonial and Islamophobic foundations of headscarf prejudice. Through a powerful narrative, where she connects her personal journey with a rich historical and sociological analysis on several subjects including laïcité and feminism, she shows the complexity and nuances of gendered Islamophobia. Even more, this much-needed book articulates a political thought on justice through a critique of colonialism and racism and reveals the urgency for change.” —Leila Benhadjoudja, Associate Professor, Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies, University of Ottawa
“Islamophobia in Canada has reached deadly proportions. Statistics show that hate crimes against Muslims continue to grow. But there is an empathy gap that cannot be filled by these numbers. It is only by bearing witness to the stories of those experiencing anti-Muslim racism that Islamophobia becomes real and intelligible to others. Mazigh’s memoir takes aim at the apathy regarding Islamophobia by offering a compelling account of her experience of gendered Islamophobia and the fraught environment this creates for Muslim women. Mazigh deftly and accessibly weaves a sharp political analysis into her storytelling. Her journey as a hijabi challenges the clichéd Orientalist stereotypes of passive and voiceless veiled Muslim women and offers an honest, intimate, and nuanced tale of negotiating gender, faith, and identity in Canada.” —Jasmin Zine, Professor of Sociology and Muslim Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University
