«Tracing connections from human rights groups and international feminist NGOs, to philosophy and anthropology, to best-selling memoirs of Muslim women and titillating pulp fiction accounts of Muslim women’s suffering, Abu-Lughod argues that the West’s perception of Muslim women as creatures in need of rescue is shaped by a confluence of powerful forces. Incisively argued and often sharply critical, Abu-Lughod’s book―which will surely spark debate―is essential reading for anyone interested in women’s rights in the Muslim world.»―Leila Ahmed, author of A Quiet Revolution: The Veil’s Resurgence from the Middle East to America

«In this passionate, sharply articulated, and engaging argument, Lila Abu-Lughod describes how Islam has been transformed into a homogenized geography ‘somewhere out there’ and how its women, different as they are diverse, have become the excuse for political and military interventions. In place of the simplistic arguments that are bandied about on the global stage, this book reminds us to ask more important questions: who are the saviors of Muslim women and how did they acquire the right to be the saviors? Every thinking individual should read this book.»―Urvashi Butalia, author of The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India

«There is no one better qualified than Lila Abu-Lughod to take on difficult questions about Muslim women and their portrayal in the global media. Her answers shake up some fundamental assumptions held by liberals and conservatives alike and raise new questions. This book persuades us to consider new and more productive ways of thinking and acting.»―Mahmood Mamdani, author of Saviors and Survivors: Darfur, Politics, and the War on Terror