CCMW Muslim Women Scholars Series: December Edition
Black and White or Shades of Grey: Religious Approaches and Muslim Marital Conflict
Presenter: Sarah Shah
Join us on December 9th at 7:30pm ET for our next Muslim Women Scholars Series seminar!
Sarah Shah’s Full Article: Black and White or Shades of Grey: Religious Approaches and Muslim Marital Conflict
Abstract: While the diversity of diasporic Muslim public experiences has been examined, the social contours of religious approach has received less attention. Moreover, the ways in which religion shapes marital relations remains understudied. This article, which features data from a larger research project, highlights two divergent trends in Muslim approaches to religion: exclusivity, which frames only one approach to Islam as correct, and inclusivity, which frames multiple approaches as correct. This divergence plays a role in shaping definitions of “good Muslim,” as exclusivist Muslims focus on ritual acts (outward observance), while inclusivist Muslims prioritize good manners (inward observance). I demonstrate how these inward and outward definitions of Muslimness in turn inform how participants evaluate their spouses’ religiosity and, thus, the potential for conflict over religiosity with their spouses.
Register here.
About Sarah Shah
Sarah Shah (they/them), PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Sociology, The University of Toronto, Mississauga, a Research Fellow at the Institute of Islamic Studies, The University of Toronto, and a Research Consultant for Canadian Muslim organizations. They are a lead researcher at the Muslims in Canada Data Initiative (MiCDI). Their research focuses on the intersections of religion, family and gender relations, racialization and immigration, and mental health.
About Muslim Women Scholars Series
The Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) is pleased to present the Muslim Women Scholars Series. One of CCMW's strategic goals is to promote critical thinking among Muslims and non-Muslims to challenge stereotypes and assumptions about Islam, Muslim women and their families. One way of doing this is to feature the work of contemporary Muslim women scholars focusing on diverse topics related to Muslim women.