The Illusion of Equality: Machismo and Cuban Cinema of the Revolution

This article attempts to show how certain Cuban films both reflect and construct behaviour concerning male–female relations. In so doing, they illustrate how Cuban cinema provided a mainstream cultural forum for controversial and contradictory debates on gender relations. At times, films that attempt to produce images of gender equality, or at least the possibility of this, merely provide the illusion of equality while maintaining the status quo of patriarchy. That is, the images they present of male–female relations appear on the surface to represent an increasing desire to achieve absolute equality between men and women. However, close analysis of these films, using various tools of feminist and feminist film theory, reveals a continuation of certain patriarchal tendencies that the films themselves are attempting to criticise. The films to be discussed are: De cierta manera (Sara Gómez, 1974–1978), Retrato de Teresa (Pastor Vega, 1979) and Hasta cierto punto (Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, 1983).     

The religio‐political proclivities of the Iranian mind: The pre‐Islamic roots

“Mighty God, annihilate the oppressors and the evildoers.” (Zarathustra as quoted by Morteza Ravandi, The Social History of Iran, Vol. 1, p.490.)     

Establishing an Islamic niche in Kazakhstan: Musylman Publishing House and its publications

There has been an increase in Muslim piety and practice in Kazakhstan since the fall of the Soviet Union. Much of this increase is due to the efforts of members of the piety movement in Kazakhstan, who preach and publish about Islam in an effort to inspire more Kazakhs to embrace a particular vision of Islam emphasizing daily prayer, modest dress and condemnation of saint and ancestor veneration. From its humble beginnings as a press primarily publishing translations of short books on Islam, Musylman Publishing House has grown to become an influential Islamic press in Kazakhstan. Building on observations at the Musylman Publishing House editorial office and interviews with its staff, this essay examines the history and publications of Musylman Publishing House. It is argued that the publishing strategy directed by Qayrat Isa, the owner and chief editor of Musylman Publishing House, has been a conscious effort to establish, expand and consolidate a publishing niche for the piety movement in Kazakhstan. The result of this strategy has been the establishment of a readership that no longer simply reads about Islam, but actively preaches to others and contributes articles and books to Musylman Publishing House, creating a self-sustaining piety movement.