DAAD project "Exploring the Feminine within Islam" 2019

Project leaders: Prof. Dr. Lejla Demiri (ZITh), Dr. Amina Nawaz (ZITh), Prof. Dr. Sohaira Siddiqui (Georgetown University Qatar)

The project "Exploring the Feminine within Islam" (Jan-Dec 2019) aimed at enriching the discourse on Islam and gender, which so far has mostly been conducted in the field of sociology and anthropology, by voices of Muslim women theologians. In order to work on theological concepts of "The Feminine within Islam" the foundation for an international network was laid. The network will bring together female scholars from different countries of origin, discourse spaces and age groups and thus bring new perspectives into the scientific discourse. This multi-perspectivity also shaped the three events held within the framework of the 2019 project: In July a three-day workshop was held in which local and international students participated. The participants dealt with religion, gender and individual case studies. A guest lecturer and lecturers from various faculties in Tübingen taught the workshop units. The participants said that the workshop was a unique learning experience for them. In September, a delegation visited Georgetown University Qatar, where the delegation focused on religious life in Qatar and the challenges and discourses on gender and the feminine. In December, the activities culminated in a round table to which top international female researchers were invited to Tübingen to discuss "The Feminine within Islam" with scholars from various disciplines in Tübingen and to prepare future cooperation. All three events included an inter-religious component with Christian and Jewish women researchers in order to expand the discussion and learn from each other. All in all, the activities in 2019 contributed to designing the network and formulating central questions for dealing with "The Feminine within Islam" in a global perspective. We would like to thank the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for its support within the framework of the program "Higher Education Dialogue with the Muslim World".