Not 'Completely' Divorced: Muslim Women in Australia Navigating Muslim Family Laws

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Description

Within Muslim communities in Australia, there is great diversity in Islamic practice and religiosity. When it comes to marriage and divorce, however, many Muslims still wish to observe religious procedures alongside civil ones, and while marriage is relatively straightforward, divorce raises more complications. The situation of women in 'limping' marriages in particular has raised debates among Muslims and the Australian public regarding the autonomy of Muslim women and the function of community family law processes. Based upon in-depth research with divorced Muslim women, community leaders and local religious authorities, Buckley reveals the complexities facing Muslim women in negotiating family expectations, cultural norms and traditional Islamic laws. Through their stories and experiences, the Muslim women in this book demonstrate how they are able to navigate the intricacies of religious and civil processes and in so doing, are reformulating what a 'complete' divorce looks like.

Author Bio

Dr Anisa Buckley is a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on Islamic law, gender and Muslim minorities. She has over twenty years of experience working with various Muslim community organisations across Australia in the areas of Islamic education, capacity building and Muslim women's advocacy. She was a founding Board Member of the Islamic Museum of Australia in Melbourne, and is a longstanding Board Member of the Australian Muslim Women's Centre for Human Rights.