The Islamic Veil: A Beginner's Guide

Banned in public institutions in France and Turkey, mandatory in Saudi Arabia and Iran, no other item of clothing incites such furious reactions. The Islamic veil – a catch-all term that encompasses everything from a simple headscarf to the all-covering burqa – has, over the past decade, become a heated battleground for debates on everything from women’s rights to multiculturalism.



Elizabeth Bucar goes beyond the simplistic question of whether the veil is “good” or “bad” to ask instead wh...