Just some more sources, nbd

Works Cited

Gruenbaum, Ellen. The Female Circumcision Controversy: an Anthropological Perspective. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2001. Print.

This is probably the most useful resource I have in my possession to write considering the other side paper. From both of her personal experience and from an anthropological view, Gruenbaum takes on the controversy of female circumcision, specifically addressing the  historical, social, cultural and traditional complexities of it. She incorporates her firsthand experience of living and learning in Africa about its culture and people to give an extremely credible, enlightening perspective on the issue.

James, Stanlie M., and Claire C. Robertson. Genital Cutting and Transnational Sisterhood: Disputing U.S. Polemics. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois, 2005. Print.

This is a great collection of essays that addresses both sides of the controversy of FGM. I will be using essays 2. and 4. for sure that discuss the wrong Western approach to both understanding and advocating against the practice. 2, “Getting beyond the Ew! Factor: Rethinking Approaches to African Female Genital Cutting,” by Claire C. Robertson spells out the biased and racist understanding of Africa as a country that affects their judgement on FC. This is similar to essay 4, “Female Genital Surgeries: Eradication Measures at the Western Local Level--A Cautionary Tale,” by Isabelle R. Gunning, where she defines America’s naive solution and major flaws when approaching the issue. She stressed stronger colored female leadership, for example.  

Steffen, Charles G. Mutilating Khalid: the Symbolic Politics of Female Genital Cutting. Trenton, NJ: Red Sea, 2011. Print.

This book describes a case in Atlanta, GA--my hometown btw-- that involves Khalid, an Ethopian immigrant, who performed circumcision on his daughter. He was tried for the mutilation of his daughter and convicted for 10 years in prison. The first chapter describes the case, verdict, and Western views on the symbolism of FGM. The rest of the book, however, expands on the issue to eventually defend Khalid and advocate his release. This interesting case will be important when discussing flawed Western perspectives because of the evidence of a real case it provides.

Walker, Alice, and Pratibha Parmar. Warrior Marks: Female Genital Mutilation and the Sexual Blinding of Women. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1996. Print.

This intense book documents the experiences of Alice Walker in her pursuit to create a film that advocates against FGM. She collaborates with a Kenya women named Pratibha Parmar for help with the film through her personal exposure and experience with FGM. Stylistically, this is written in conversations, e-mails, journal entries, etc. so it will be extremely difficult to shuffle through. However, the significance and value of eradicating FGM, I already can tell, is hit very hard in the book in a very inspiring yet serious tone. This is will be useful in my final paper!

**better MLA format with page numbers and separate citing for each essay will be done for the paper but for now, without the specific knowledge of exactly what I am using, this will have to do!