Lamia Rustum Shehadeh analyzes the writings and political practices of the nine Islamic ideologues of the twentieth century who masterminded the resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism to demonstrate that their consistent emphasis on the subordinate status of women constitutes a vehicle for attaining political power. As the only study that compiles and critiques the gender theory of the major Islamic fundamentalists, The Idea of Women in Fundamentalist Islam offers a unifying theory elucidating their stand on women's role in society and the centrality of women in their politically ideal Muslim society.
