Islam, Science and Gender: Negotiating Boundaries in two case studies in Spain and Morocco
- BCURE
- Feb 24, 2022
- 2 min read
The project “Islam, Science and Gender: Negotiating Boundaries in two case studies in Spain and Morocco” was carried out between May 2022 and January 2023. The research aimed to explore contemporary processes of negotiation of scientific and religious discourses among the Muslim population in two contexts. More specifically, it was a pilot study to identify the existing positions and dilemmas on COVID-19 vaccination and infertility treatments among Muslim people residing in Barcelona and Tangier. The selection of these two cities aimed to explore the cases in two completely different urban contexts.
Among other differences, while in Barcelona the Muslim community is characterized by being a minority whose migratory origin is progressively growing in population, Tangier is a city in a country with a Muslim majority. The comparison between the two cities aimed to explore to what extent this negotiation between Islam and science is influenced by the context and the different legal and religious situation of the city. While in Spain Muslim communities live in a minority situation in which Islamic jurisprudence is practically absent, in Morocco Islamic jurisprudence is considered one of the key sources of law.
The research methodology was based on semi-structured interviews with Muslim health professionals and Muslim leaders in the two cities. The health professionals include a wide variety of specialties (doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, scientific researchers, etc.). Interviewing Muslim health professionals was relevant to identify possible tensions and dilemmas that they had experienced firsthand through their patients. The project also included a gender perspective across the board, as it was taken into account in both the methodology and the analysis of results.
Project Data
SEED PROJECT (01.106) | |
Principal Investigator | Rosa Martinez-Paintings |
Project Financed by | |
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