On, Wednesday, September 12, begins a 4-day first-of-its-kindconference called Engaging Islam: Feminisms, Religiosities andSelf-Determinations on UMass Boston. Funded by a Ford Foundation grant, theconference features 10 internationally acclaimed keynote speakers and 20competitively selected panel presenters.A dominant image in the West about Islam is of a force particularlyoppressive to women. Engaging Islam: Feminisms, Religiosities andSelf-Determinations uses feminist analysis to challenge this view and to ask