Women imams in the “present”

Project title:

Women imams in the “present”

“The book has a very specific focus on expressions of female ritual, leadership and their link to social contexts. It critically examines the uses of the past to legitimise claims in favour of or against female leadership.”

Researcher:

Output:

Find out about the book launch event with Simonetta Calderini which took place on 21st January, 2021.

Find out about a joint book event: Three Books on Female Authority in Islam, of which Calderini’s ‘Women as Imams’ was one.

Project proposal:

This project consists of data collection, research and editing of the final chapter of my book “Women as Imams” contracted by publisher IB Tauris. This is a highly original work based on primary (mainly Arabic) and secondary sources from various media, including interviews and questionnaires. It is multidisciplinary, applying theological, historical and sociological approaches. The book has a very specific focus on expressions of female ritual leadership and their link to social contexts. It critically examines the uses of the past to legitimise claims in favour of or against female leadership.  

The last chapter specifically deals with present debates and practices in the Islamic world (Indonesia, Egypt, Malaysia, etc) and Muslim minority countries (Europe, USA, China, India).  It also includes broader cases of female leadership such as women preachers, chaplains and educators. For this chapter I intend to interview and distribute questionnaires to Muslim female faith leaders.

Themes: