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Gender Issues in Islamic Law
This course explores the changing constructions of gender ideologies and relations in Islamic law - the Shari'a. While the sacred traditions of Islam (the Koran as the word of God, and the Sunna as the Way of the Prophet) are in theory immutable, diversity in belief and practice result from differing interpretations of these traditions and the ways in which they continue to shape Muslim ideals and realities. The course will examine the power and limits of these interpretations in shaping gender rights in Islamic family law. Attention will also be given to emergent feminist interpretaions in the latter part of the 20th century.