[Anthropgrad] FW: Negotiating the Sacred V: Governing the Family call for papers

[Jodi Parvey]

>
>----------
>From: Renata Grossi [mailto:renata.grossi at anu.edu.au]
>Sent: Tuesday, 29 April 2008 9:21 AM
>To: Suzanne Groves
>Subject: Negotiating the Sacred V: Governing the Family call for papers
>
>Dear All, Please disemminate on your email 
>lists. Apologies for cross-posting. Jodi
>
>
>*CALL FOR PAPERS*
>
>*Negotiating the Sacred V: Governing the Family* 
><http://arts.monash.edu.au/ecps/news-and-events/2008/negotiating-the-sacred-v.php>http://arts.monash.edu.au/ecps/news-and-events/2008/negotiating-the-sacred-v.php 
>
>
>
>14 and 15 August 2008
>
>Japanese Studies Centre Auditorium
>Monash University
>Building 54, Clayton Campus, Wellington Road, Clayton**
>
>Registration: $130 full; $75 concession
>
>*Keynote speakers:*
>
>*Associate Professor* *Lori Beaman*, Canada 
>Research Chair in the Contextualization of 
>Religion in a Diverse Canada, University of Ottawa*
>*
>
>*Emeritus Professor* *Gary Bouma*, Professor 
>Emeritus of Sociology and UNESCO Chair in 
>Intercultural and Interreligious Relations – 
>Asia Pacific at Monash University, and Chair of 
>Board of Directors for The Parliament of the World’s Religions* *2009*
>*
>
>*Professor Chandran Kukathas*, Chair in 
>Political Theory, London School of Economics
>
>*
>Call for Papers*
>
>This interdisciplinary conference will explore 
>how ideas of the sacred inform our concepts of 
>what the family should look like, how we relate 
>to each other as family, and how these family 
>structures are recognised, or fail to be 
>recognised, in law and structures of governance. 
>It seeks answers to questions about the 
>appropriate role of the state in the governance 
>of family. Papers are sought on the following themes:
>
>§ Representations of the family, marriage and 
>gender roles in religious traditions
>
>§ Recognition of religious law
>
>§ Recognition of alternative family structures
>
>§ Social justice and the rights of women and children
>
>§ Health, reproduction and the family
>
>Papers on other topics related to the conference themes are also welcome.
>
>Abstracts of 200-250 words and a brief 
>biographical note should be sent to 
>Joanna.Kujawa at arts.monash.edu.au by June 6 2008.
>
>Conveners:
>Dr Elizabeth Burns Coleman, Monash University Dr 
>Joanna Kuwaja, Monash University
>
>Supported by:
>
>English, Communications and Performance Studies, 
>Political and Social Inquiry, and the Centre for 
>Religion and Theology, Monash University,
>
>GovNet (an Australian Research Council Research 
>Network) and CAPPE (an ARC funded Special Research Centre).
>
>
>*Conference Themes*
>
>Feminist legal scholars have long argued that the public/private
>division in law effectively creates ‘the family’ as a sphere that
>supports patriarchy and undermines the rights of women and children. In
>2007, Australia was focussed on the rights of women and children in
>indigenous communities, against the claim that abusive practices are
>condoned or supported by cultural or religious traditions. It is also in
>the midst of an ongoing debate about homosexual marriage and the rights
>of homosexual couples to receive medical interventions to have children
>and to adopt.
>
>The idea of the sanctity of marriage has led to the banning of
>homosexual marriages in Australia, as well as limitations on homosexual
>couples gaining certain medical treatments such as IVF. Recently,
>however, some state and territory governments have discussed different
>forms of recognition of homosexual relationships, and expansion of
>access to fertility treatments. In response to legal reform planned by
>the Victorian State Government, a multi faith group protested that the
>changes represented a move away from the "biblical and traditional
>paradigm of the family" (Swartz 2008). The idea of marriage, the group
>complained, has moved from sacrament to contract. Should the state be
>informed by religious values in relation to laws on marriage and the
>structures of families, or, in a liberal democracy, should it consider
>the family a contract? Indeed, should the state recognise the marriage
>laws of minority religious groups?
>
>The structure of the family that is recognised by religion and the state
>may be the ground of moral duties, as well as legal obligations and
>rights. In some religions, such as indigenous Australian religions, dead
>ancestors may be considered an important part of the family to whom we
>have duties; this may be recognised in heritage law concerning the
>return of indigenous remains from museums. Yet, the wishes of people
>belonging to other minority religious groups may have their testamentary
>gifts to religious organisations tested against ‘objective’ standards
>that reflect dominant religious values about the family (Ridge, 2006,
>140). Such variations in the law invite an exploration of the variety of
>ways in which religious values about the family are respected in law.
>
>In the not so distant past, a marriage between people of Protestant and
>Catholic faiths was considered ‘impure’ (Akenson, 2004: 56-61). This
>institution of religion, Akenson argues, thus maintained one of the
>pillars of intolerance within Ireland. Minority religions that promote
>or allow polygamy, or communal lifestyles, may be suppressed or treated
>with suspicion. For example, Magistrate Gregory Levine suggested that in
>the removal of children from the Christian Evangelical group, The
>Family, in 1992, authorities acted against the sect without clear
>grounds 
>(<www.thefamily.org/dossier/legal/australia.htm>www.thefamily.org/dossier/legal/australia.htm). 
>In contemporary
>Western societies, the /hijab/ has become not only the symbol of Islam,
>but the symbol of ‘patriarchal oppression’ and a dysfunctional family
>structure within it, yet for many Muslims, wearing the /hijab/ may be a
>gesture of defiance against religious oppression (Kabbani, 1989). How
>does governance of marriage and the family within religious and secular
>law support religious prejudice and social dislocation?
>

Jodi Parvey
Hans Mol Research Assistant
Research School of Humanities
Old Canberra House (Building 73)
Lennox Crossing
The Australian National University
Canberra ACT 0200 Australia

Phone 6125 8963
Fax 6248 0054 
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