This session will provide an in-depth exploration of the experiences of eight Muslim women who were divorced or sought to be divorced in Scotland. Scotland is distinct within the United Kingdom in facilitating the civil registration of marriage by a religious celebrant, but divorce may still require separate legal and religious procedures. We found that participants were disempowered when husbands utilised Islamic processes to end the marriage, leaving women without financial support and to initiate legal proceedings. Scottish family law created a new set of challenges, especially if children were involved and/or finances had to be agreed. Civil and Islamic processes were weaponised to control women’s marital and financial status, a phenomenon which can be understood through a gendered lens, and within the context of domestic abuse and coercive control. Further research is needed to understand how far the experiences here are representative within and outside the Muslim community in Scotland.

As this is a lunchtime seminar, attendees are welcome to being along their own lunch.

Organised by the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships.

Speaker Bios

Nughmana Mirza Bio: Nughmana is a Lecturer in Social Research Methods at the University of Glasgow, Division of Sociological and Cultural Studies.

Rosemary Elliot Bio: Rose is a Senior Lecturer in Economic and Social History at the University of Glasgow, Division of Political and International Studies.