UNRULY WOMEN: RACE, NEOCOLONIALISM, AND THE HIJAB. By Falguni A.Sheth. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2022. Pp. xi +257. Paper, $34.99.

A well-known contention in sociology is that those who do not conform to the norms of a given society are certain to face any of a variety of sanctions. One is expected to accept the ways of the dominant culture, to find a way to fit in and to follow their ways of behavior, or to face the (unpleasant) consequences. This volume addresses the issue of intentional non-conformity, specifically concerning dress, and how those consequences are meted out. In short, the answer is harshly, unfairly, prejudicially, and with bias. The primary subjects of the monograph are Muslim women, though the author, Falguni Sheth, at times conflates other subaltern subjects into this grouping, specifically Black women and other women of color. Using the primary lenses of Orientalism and neocolonialism, Sheth contends that dress (e.g., hijab and niqab), hair, and related accouterments are subjected to regulatory control, racialized discrimination, excruciation, dismissal, and various other forms of hostility—all because they suggest dissent with civilized, mainstream secular Western ideals. She offers a variety of examples of court cases in which women argued that they faced policies of unfair treatment and discrimination in the workplace due to their traditional clothing choices or hairstyles, only to have their situations and circumstances ignored, minimized, and ultimately, dismissed out of hand as unimportant or nonexistent. In part, she argues, such attitudes stem from stereotypes associated with anti-Muslim ideology and beliefs. However, what also becomes clear through her analysis is that Americans and Europeans alike increasingly seek “transparency” that discourages one's ability to hide from the public view. Rather, Western culture now embraces an attitude that suggests that the public's right to see (and control) its members is greater than the individual's right to the retention of privacy and the ability to remain hidden and unseen. That said, she concludes that “anti-Blackness” as a project is inherent in government immigration policy, security politics, and more, and as such, must continue to be considered as an ongoing issue of concern.