During the uprisings of late 2010 and 2011 which took place across the Middle East and North Africa, women made up an important part of the crowds protesting. Women s rights were central to the demands made. However, despite this, in the ensuing social and political struggles, these rights have not progressed much beyond the situation under previous governments. Hiam El-Gousi s book offers an examination of the status of women under Egypt s various authoritarian regimes. In exploring the role played by religious scholars in helping to define women s status in society, she focuses on personal...