Senior Research Symposium
Mixing & Matching
Trends in Muslim Marriages
This panel showcases new research that problematizes the concept of ‘Muslim marriages’. Ethnographic examples from Ceuta, the Netherlands, and Kyrgistan reveal diversity in the marital practices of contemporary couples, as well as variation in how normative orders—religious, legal (family law), and cultural—intersect to construct and position Muslim marriages.
These papers address provocative questions, such as: What counts as an appropriate form of Muslim marriage in specific settings? How is the legality and propriety of a Muslim marriage negotiated between the couple, the community, religious leaders, and the state? How is the notion of Muslim marriage challenged and shaped by interfaith relationships, demographic shifts, and increasingly authoritative state policies?
