Understanding the prominence of religions and their effects on the politics of gender defies facile explanations, say Anne Jenichen and Shahra Razavi
The idea of multiculturalism has been subjected to greater criticism in recent years, especially on the grounds that it is divisive and undercuts other solidarities of society, class or nation. But a fuller understanding of the context in which the arguments for multiculturalism arose and evolved
The extraordinary arc of Barack Obama’s popular appeal tells a deeper story of America: of how the relationship between liberalism and religion was forged, then frayed and broken, and how the president’s rhetoric offered the mirage of healing. Theo Hobson asks what, if anything, can be recovered f
While packed full of humour and touchy subjects, the Dutch celebration of Saint Nicholas is at once an enduring testimony to the country´s racial imagination and one of the most promising sites of its disruption.
If Prime Minister David Cameron’s 'Big Society' brings religious groups to the fore even more than Tony Blair’s opening of the education system to faith groups, what impact will this have on British society?
Hindu women’s activism in the service of the political goals of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar and the debates around the legal rights of Muslim women illustrate the perils of identity politics in matters of gender equality
Subtle and overt forms of resistance notwithstanding, it is clear that women’s rights advocates need to be vigilant when those who claim to have “divine truth” behind them start asserting their vision of “the good society” from positions of power and authority.
Faith-based organizations are playing increasingly prominent roles in service delivery. However, the premise that such organisations promote gender equality and the empowerment of women needs critical re-examination.
Face-covering prohibitions in Europe are typically passed on the basis of three arguments: security, women’s rights and secularism. Rational as they may seem, these arguments do not stand up to scrutiny.
Cas Mudde was quite right to point out recently how liberal arguments are being used in the interests of illiberal attacks on Muslims. However, in the Dutch case this reflects anything but a progressive national consensus
By relying on the secular state as the answer to the religious right and entrusting the Left with the protection of women's rights, feminists in Latin America may have overlooked the root causes of attraction to the religious right: the state's failure to deliver social services to all
A delicate papal visit to Britain was in the end a diplomatic success. All the more reason to examine the ideas it advanced, says Michael Walsh.
