Call for Papers

Date: March 29, 2017

Venue: University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

Organized by: Muslims in Britain Research Network (MBRN) and the University of Leeds

Abstract Submission Deadline: January 30, 2017

Program Highlights

• Plenary 1: Community perspectives: How can Muslim institutions become more inclusive?
• Plenary 2: Academic perspectives: how can research on British Muslims become more gender sensitive?
• Poles Apart: Reflections on Fieldwork with Salafi Women and Tablighi Men – Dr Anabel Inge and Riyaz Timol
• Film Screening: Blessed are the Strangers (Adam Peerbux, 2016)

Conference Theme

• The question of gender inclusion among British Muslims is currently a high profile debate. This conference aims to unpack the many facets of this debate from a range of methodological, theoretical and community perspectives. There are three strands main strands to the theme:
• Academic Research and Gender Inclusion: Given that descriptions of Muslim community life have often been unacknowledged descriptions of Muslim men, how best might that be problematized? What theoretical work needs to be done to highlight gender exclusion or inclusion more concretely? How can Muslim male and female subjectivities be better understood separately or otherwise? What impact can gender inclusion or exclusion have upon research methodologies, ethical issues, questions of access and questions of academic representation?
• Politics of Gender Inclusion and Exclusion: What role does the issue of gender inclusion now play in questions of state policies towards Muslims? How far is it tied into questions of securitization and extremism? How central an issue is it in terms of discourses of Islamic reform or notions of personal authenticity in terms of new Islamic gender theology and everyday Muslim practices?
• Gender Inclusion in British Muslim Institutions, Networks and Movements: How extensive is the drive towards gender inclusion? What enhances and retards gender inclusion? What modalities of inclusion are being undertaken? How is gender exclusion being defended or problematized?

Call for Papers

Abstract submissions are invited for papers that address any aspect of the conference theme. Participants will be asked to present their research in a short format as part of a panel with questions and answers at the end.

To participate please send a brief 150 word abstract by 30^th January 2017 alongside a biographical note of no more than 50 words.

Source: Muslims in Britain Research Network (MBRN)