This two-day programme will explore questions related to gender from the perspective of two intellectual traditions: Western liberalism and the Islamic tradition. In particular, we will highlight the underlying moral visions of these two traditions, considering such questions as: What presuppositions about human nature and the good life does it promote? What kind of human self does it seek to cultivate? We will also examine the critical project of Islamic feminism, which lies at the intersection of these two traditions.
Through a combination of preparatory readings, interactive lectures and hands-on workshops, we will construct a theologically grounded and historically informed understanding of the Islamic tradition to enable us to contextualize the myriad gender-related issues so hotly contested in our communities today.
