Secular, Islamic or Muslim Feminism? The Places of Religion in Women’s Perspectives on Equality in Islam

he Western focus on ‘Islamic feminism’ takes two extreme forms: it is often dismissed as an oxymoron for attaching a religious (patriarchal) adjective to an emancipatory feminist project, or it is hailed as a road to a liberal, reformed Islam. Many Muslim feminists refuse to use this term; some reje...

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Main Author: Zora Hesová
Format: Article
Language:ces
Published: Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Sociology 2019-12-01
Series:Gender a Výzkum
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.genderonline.cz/uploads/7a83f598024990eed173569b39efc31900d3ef81_ga-v-2-019-stat-1-hesova.pdf
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author Zora Hesová
author_facet Zora Hesová
author_sort Zora Hesová
collection DOAJ
description he Western focus on ‘Islamic feminism’ takes two extreme forms: it is often dismissed as an oxymoron for attaching a religious (patriarchal) adjective to an emancipatory feminist project, or it is hailed as a road to a liberal, reformed Islam. Many Muslim feminists refuse to use this term; some reject feminism outright. There is consequently a tension within the term that many Muslim women activists acknowledge. In order to gain a better understanding of how religious and secular discourses combine in ‘feminism in Islam’, this text aims to examine the place of religion in women’s emancipatory strategies. When we look at the history, strategies, discourses, and especially at the concept of ‘religion’ Muslim women activists and thinkers deal with, a complex landscape emerges. ‘Islam’ ceases to be a reference to a given religious paradigm but becomes itself a contested terrain, one with religious, but also political, legal, and institutional actors. Theological, hermeneutical, post-foundationalist, reformist, legal, and social activism all envisage ‘Islam’ from different perspectives and locate the discriminatory aspects they resist in different fields of the Islamic paradigm or practice. The aim is to explore the meaning and practice of ‘feminism in Islam’ while taking a critical approach to an essentialist understanding of both Islam and Islamic feminism.
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spelling doaj-art-724f7c7ba0b442bab68fd8dafddab9732025-08-20T03:34:01ZcesCzech Academy of Sciences, Institute of SociologyGender a Výzkum2570-65782570-65862019-12-01202264610.13060/25706578.2019.20.2.482Secular, Islamic or Muslim Feminism? The Places of Religion in Women’s Perspectives on Equality in IslamZora Hesováhe Western focus on ‘Islamic feminism’ takes two extreme forms: it is often dismissed as an oxymoron for attaching a religious (patriarchal) adjective to an emancipatory feminist project, or it is hailed as a road to a liberal, reformed Islam. Many Muslim feminists refuse to use this term; some reject feminism outright. There is consequently a tension within the term that many Muslim women activists acknowledge. In order to gain a better understanding of how religious and secular discourses combine in ‘feminism in Islam’, this text aims to examine the place of religion in women’s emancipatory strategies. When we look at the history, strategies, discourses, and especially at the concept of ‘religion’ Muslim women activists and thinkers deal with, a complex landscape emerges. ‘Islam’ ceases to be a reference to a given religious paradigm but becomes itself a contested terrain, one with religious, but also political, legal, and institutional actors. Theological, hermeneutical, post-foundationalist, reformist, legal, and social activism all envisage ‘Islam’ from different perspectives and locate the discriminatory aspects they resist in different fields of the Islamic paradigm or practice. The aim is to explore the meaning and practice of ‘feminism in Islam’ while taking a critical approach to an essentialist understanding of both Islam and Islamic feminism.https://www.genderonline.cz/uploads/7a83f598024990eed173569b39efc31900d3ef81_ga-v-2-019-stat-1-hesova.pdfislamic feminismislamsecular feminismsecularity
spellingShingle Zora Hesová
Secular, Islamic or Muslim Feminism? The Places of Religion in Women’s Perspectives on Equality in Islam
Gender a Výzkum
islamic feminism
islam
secular feminism
secularity
title Secular, Islamic or Muslim Feminism? The Places of Religion in Women’s Perspectives on Equality in Islam
title_full Secular, Islamic or Muslim Feminism? The Places of Religion in Women’s Perspectives on Equality in Islam
title_fullStr Secular, Islamic or Muslim Feminism? The Places of Religion in Women’s Perspectives on Equality in Islam
title_full_unstemmed Secular, Islamic or Muslim Feminism? The Places of Religion in Women’s Perspectives on Equality in Islam
title_short Secular, Islamic or Muslim Feminism? The Places of Religion in Women’s Perspectives on Equality in Islam
title_sort secular islamic or muslim feminism the places of religion in women s perspectives on equality in islam
topic islamic feminism
islam
secular feminism
secularity
url https://www.genderonline.cz/uploads/7a83f598024990eed173569b39efc31900d3ef81_ga-v-2-019-stat-1-hesova.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT zorahesova secularislamicormuslimfeminismtheplacesofreligioninwomensperspectivesonequalityinislam