Suchergebnisse

This volume breaks new ground by seeking to identify and focus on the challenges faced by any attempt to integrate democratic principles within the broad framework of Islamic thought and practice. It does so by harnessing the views of seventeen distinguished scholars from a range of disciplines who not only provide their own perspectives, but actively engage with the views of other contributors, thus producing arguments and synergies which are both erudite and convincing. The volume's first section 'Islam and Democracy' tackles head on the often-contested assertion that Islam is incompatible with democracy, because political authority in Islamic societies derives its legitimacy from scriptural not secular injunctions. This is followed by a discussion of the often-contentious issue of 'Islam and Sharia Law' leading into the examination of the vexed issue of 'Islam and the West.' Finally, the volume fosters the underdeveloped, but blatant question of womanhood and 'gender within Islam.'

'Der Beitrag befaßt sich mit der Beziehung von Soziologie und Recht zum Geschlecht. In einer professions- und disziplinkritischen Perspektive wird die Frage diskutiert, wie es zu der lang anhaltenden Ignoranz der Geschlechterproblematik in beiden Disziplinen kommen konnte und welche Konsequenzen sich hieraus für eine künftige Rechtssoziologie der Geschlechterverhältnisse ergeben.' (Autorenreferat)

After the abolition of slavery in 1897, Islamic courts in Zanzibar (East Africa) became central institutions where former slaves negotiated socioeconomic participation. By using difficult-to-read Islamic court records in Arabic, Elke Stockreiter reassesses the workings of these courts as well as gender and social relations in Zanzibar Town during British colonial rule (1890–1963). She shows how Muslim judges maintained their autonomy within the sphere of family law and describes how they helped advance the rights of women, ex-slaves, and other marginalised groups. As was common in other parts of the Muslim world, women usually had to buy their divorce. Thus, Muslim judges played important roles as litigants negotiated moving up the social hierarchy, with ethnicisation increasingly influencing all actors. Drawing on these previously unexplored sources, this study investigates how Muslim judges both mediated and generated discourses of inclusion and exclusion based on social status rather than gender