Framework

Relations between religions and women have been marked by matches, mismatches and conflicts whose analysis continue to generate intense discussions among religious leaders, researchers, thinkers and activists: consider, for instance, the debate on the so-called “gender ideology”, that Vatican documents refer to in controversies about place(s) assigned to women in Islam, the validity or not of  the argument that is based on ancestral practices discussed as contrary to the human rights of women in the cultural role of religion or yet the discussion on women's access to positions of leadership and power in religious communities.

On the other hand, religions have also constituted places of emancipation for many women that, grounded on the conviction of the existence of a non-androcentric foundational religious message, view their religious experience as a form of empowerment.
Is religion good or bad for women? What are the main debates regarding the submission or emancipation of women in religion roles? What are the public impacts of the positioning of religions concerning women? What role have representatives of religious institutions held in international forums in which women's rights are discussed? And what voice(s) do women have women within religions and religious communities? Will religions have a future for women? Will religions have a future without women?

This discussion, within the cycle «Violence in the name of religion», will focus on the complex and polyhedral relationship between women’s rights and religions, with the intention of bringing to light different views of women who have been working the issue from a political, anthropological, theological and essayistic point of view.

Speakers
Maria do Céu Cunha Rêgo, Interdisciplinary Centre for Gender Studies (ISCSP)
Pilar del Río, Chair of the José Saramago Foundation
Faranaz Keshavjee, Expert in Islamic Studies and Humanities at the Institute of Ismaili Studies of London
Maria Paula Meneses, Researcher at the Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra

Moderator: Teresa Toldy (Co-coordinator of the Observatory on Religion in Public Space (POLICREDOS), Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra and Professor at  Fernando Pessoa University- Porto)

Organisers:  Observatory on Religion in Public Space (POLICREDOS), Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra

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