The conference will address the potential conflicts that arise between
religious and cultural claims and the pursuit of gender equality.
Religious
and cultural claims frequently touch on questions of gender, sexuality and the
family, as recent debates on new family forms in Ireland have shown. Recently
in Europe, we have seen a shift away from the policies and politics of
multiculturalism that dominated debates in the ‘90s. Today, there is a greater
concern with integration of new communities and social cohesion. Cultural and
religious difference is frequently viewed as a threat, as potentially leading
to fragmentation and division. This conference will explore what this shift
away from the politics of multiculturalism means for women and for the pursuit
of gender equality. Topics to be addressed include: secularism, education and
religious choice; citizenship and minority women in Ireland; religious women’s
citizenship; Muslim family law in multicultural societies; harmful tradition
practices, including female genital mutilation; the wearing and display of
religious symbols and dress in public spaces; reproductive rights. The
conference will bring together leading scholars and practitioners on migration,
gender and integration in Europe and North America. Dr Siobhan Mullally,
conference organiser, comments: "It is particularly timely, given the recent
publication of the Immigration Residence and Protection Bill 2010, and debates
on religious minorities, secularism and gendered identities in Ireland. The
conference will offer the opportunity to learn from the experiences and debates
ongoing in other parts of Europe, and will contribute to new policy initiatives
on integration and citizenship here in Ireland."
Speakers
include: Professor Anne Phillips, (Gender Institute, London School of
Economics), Prof Audrey Macklin, (University of Toronto), Salome Mbugua,
(Akidwa), Marieme Heli-Lucas, (Women Living Under Muslim Laws), Catherine
Cosgrave, (Immigrant Council of Ireland), Prof Penny Andrews (City University
of New York), Prof Javaid Rehman (Brunel University, London).
For
further details, please contact, Dr Siobhan Mullally, Faculty of Law,
UCC, or see: http://conferencing.ucc.ie/conference/conference.php?id=70.
1529MMcS
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