A Feminist Perspective on Religion in International Relations

The chapter applies a feminist perspective to phenomena of religion in International Relations (IR). Drawing on feminist research in IR and insights into potential avenues through which religion affects international affairs, it develops an analytical framework that highlights the interaction of international discourses, norms and policies with the lived experiences and rights of individual women on the ground. The usefulness of this framework is explored through two broad case studies: on women and gender in international religious terrorism and counterterrorism, and on religion in the implementation of the international Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). These two case studies illustrate the added value of such a framework for uncovering gendered ideas prevalent in international discourses on religion as well as the activities of religious feminists in the context of global women’s rights governance.