
Khartoum at Night: Fashion and Body Politics in Imperial Sudan
Marina Ali
Marie Grace Brown
2017, Stanford UP, 9-781-50360-264-9, $22.50 pb.
This book about the influence of women’s fashion and clothing during Sudan’s colonial period is a timely study for today’s rapidly changing social climate. Marie Grace Brown provides a nuanced account of the impact of politics and economics on Sudanese women during the period of British colonial dominance, from 1899–1956, discussing how women used their clothes, shoes and even the spaces they occupied to effect change. She addresses topics such as women’s education and harems, explaining how they are meaningful aspects of Sudan’s history. She shows that seemingly benign things, such as marriage rites, hair braiding and childbirth, can have a significant impact on the national narrative. For example, there were marked differences in how Sudanese women gave birth before and after British occupation, which Brown asserts influenced the course of neonatal health for years to come. This intense reflection of Sudan’s history offers a fresh perspective on current events.
You may also be interested in...
The Ebb and Flow of History on the Zambezi River
In tracing the past six centuries of history, historian Malyn Hewitt captures the cyclical rise and fall of the river and its people.Book Challenges Readers To Witness History Sans the Modern Lens
Essays Unpack the Evolving Hajj and Umrah Experience
This volume of essays juxtaposes historical first-hand narratives of Hajj and Umrah journeys with oral interviews of contemporary pilgrims to show the transformative power of storytelling.