Shirazi, Faegheh 1952-

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SHIRAZI, Faegheh 1952-

PERSONAL: Born January 2, 1952, in Abadan, Iran; daughter of Mahmood (a pharmacist) and Aghdas (a homemaker) Shirazi; married Vijay Mahajan, January, 1977 (divorced, August, 1999); children: Ramin, Geeti. Ethnicity: "Iranian, Middle Eastern." Education: Attended University of Texas—Austin, 1971-74; University of Houston, B.A., 1975; Kansas State University, M.A., 1976; Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1985. Religion: Muslim.

ADDRESSES: Offıce—Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, University of Texas—Austin, 5-138 West Mall, Austin, TX 78712; fax: 512-471-4197. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Collin County College, Plano, TX, instructor in textiles and fashion marketing, and program director, 1988-90; University of Texas—Austin, research associate and textile specialist with Bureau of Business Research, 1990-92, lecturer, 1991-94, assistant professor, 1995-2002, associate professor of Middle Eastern languages and cultures, 2002—, member of executive committee, Center for Middle East Studies, 2001. Lecturer at institutions in the United States and abroad, including University of Haifa, 1998; public speaker; guest on television and radio programs. Certified Farsi interpreter; Austin Area Inter-Religious Ministries Settlement Project, interpreter for Iranian refugee session, 2001; Interreligious Ministries, interpreter, 2001—; Linguistic Services Network-Medical Interpretation, member.

MEMBER: International Textiles and Apparel Association, International Association of Costume, SAHILI International, Costume Society of America, Textile Society of America, Middle East Studies Association of North America, Association for Middle East Women's Studies (member of editorial board, 1997—), Society for Iranian Studies, Association of University Women Professors, Texas Association for Middle East Scholars (president, 1995-97).

WRITINGS:

The Veil Unveiled: The Hijab in Modern Culture, University Press of Florida (Gainesville, FL), 2001.

Contributor to books, including In Transition: Essays on Culture and Identity in Middle Eastern Societies, edited by M. R. Ghanoonparvar and Faridoun Farrokh, Texas A & M International University Publications, 1994; and Undressing Religion: Commitment and Conversion from a Cross-cultural Perspective, 2000.

Contributor of articles and reviews to periodicals, including Critique, Material History Review, Journal of the International Association of Costume, Journal of the American Home Economics Association, Journal of the International Textile and Apparel Association, and Studies in Contemporary Islam.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Incarcerated Minds, Incarcerated Bodies: Muslim Women's Well Being and Ritual Practices; "Muslim Women and Martyrdom: The Daughters of Karbala," a chapter to be included in Women of Karbala; research on ritualistic foods in the popular culture of Iranian women.

SIDELIGHTS: Faegheh Shirazi told CA: "My own religion and cultural background and the fact that I am a woman have been positive inspirations for my work and motivational forces in my life. I come from a family of numerous male professors. I was the first female professor, but not the first female highly educated and professional. My family and relatives back in Iran are highly educated regardless of their gender. My profession allows me to be in touch with my field, most current events, and mostly learning by teaching."