Gender, Sexuality and Public Religion

Abstract

Researchers on gender and politics have recently insisted on a return of religion in the public sphere and on its effect on gender equality. Following José Casanova’s seminal book (1994), they contest the idea of a “deprivatisation” of religion, and they claim that faith-based organisations are increasingly involved in public debates, influencing policy-making in decisive ways. This is crucial to understand the recent anti-gender mobilizations in Europe, and would also contribute to what has sometimes been analysed as European culture wars. This panel will discuss these hypotheses and unpack the idea of a return of religion. It examines both religious activism and the role of religious organisations and institutions in the spheres of gender and sexual politics. It highlights the complex and sometimes contradictory influence of religion on gender equality, and calls for an analysis of religion which does not reduce the latter to a mere obstacle to gender equality.

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