"Muslim Feminism, Islamic Law, and the Quest for Gender Justice"

Date: 

Wednesday, March 7, 2018 - 7:00pm
Roemmele Global Commons, Williams Hall
Center for Global Islamic Studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
 
Kecia Ali
Professor of Religion, Boston University
 
"Muslim Feminism, Islamic Law, and the Quest for Gender Justice" 
Feminism is a fraught term in contemporary America—does it mean one supports women’s equality with men? A radical overthrowing of all systems of oppression? Is feminist even the right term? Islamic feminism is equally contested. Muslim advocates for gender justice navigate their tradition in a range of contemporary contexts. Sometimes disagreeing about priorities and methods, they bring a range of approaches to treat scripture, interpretation, national laws, and international human rights norms. Focusing on Muslim women academics and activists, Kecia Ali explores their vibrant and necessary work in the fields of scriptural interpretation, family law reform, and religious inclusion.
 
Kecia Ali is Professor of Religion at Boston University. In addition to her most recent book, Human in Death: Morality and Mortality in J. D. Robb’s Novels (Baylor 2017), she is the author of several books about Islam. In Sexual Ethics and Islam (2nd ed. Oneworld 2016), The Lives of Muhammad (Harvard 2014), and other publications, she explores the complex intertwining of Muslim and Western norms about gender, sexuality, and marriage. Her current projects include an introductory book on Women in Muslim Traditions. You can read more about her at www.keciaali.com.
 
Co-sponsors 
Center for Ethics | Gender Violence Education and Support | Global Studies