The U.S. Institute of Peace’s Religion and Peacemaking Center, Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, and the World Faiths Development Dialogue have issued a Call for Papers for a September 2011 symposium entitled “Women, Religion, Conflict and Peace: Exploring the Invisible”:
Manuscripts should address and expand upon the following themes:
-Contemporary forms of religious feminism (or the divine feminine) in context, and its impact in political/social/economic mobilization of women.
-Competition and collaboration in the relationship between secular and religious women’s organizations and movements.
-The role of women and religion in trauma healing, and its impact.
-The role of women in interfaith dialogue and engagement, and its impact.
-The challenges and opportunities afforded by the “invisibility” or “non-threatening” status of women religious peacebuilders.
-Religion and sexual/ gender-based violence (including domestic violence) in conflict zones – when does religion propel or justify this violence, and what role has it played in combating it?
-Woman as mother, victim, nurturer: use and abuse of gender stereotypes (including religious gender stereotypes) in peacebuilding.
-The best means to mainstream gender and religion into peacebuilding.
-The role of women in promoting religious extremism: female suicide bombers, raising children to be martyrs, etc.
-Religion’s impact in shaping women’s role in society and peacebuilding.
-An in-depth case study of the intersection of women, religion, conflict and peace as it is experienced in a particular country or region (note that in the course of this case-study, we hope that the author will touch upon some of the themes listed above).
The duedate for proposals is February 15, 2011. Read the full CFP here.
