Solving sharia related problems in Scandinavia
Sharia is primarily Islamic ethics and rituals, and as such, practicing sharia is unproblematic and, for the most part, even protected by the laws on freedom of religion. However, in some families specific understandings of sharia is forced upon individuals and restrain their freedom, and thus, sharia practice becomes a societal problem that Scandinavian societies have handled poorly – largely because the problems have been misunderstood.
In my research I study how Muslims practice sharia in a Scandinavian context and the emergence of parallel legal practices that may restrain the freedom of individuals. This deeper understanding of Scandinavian sharia practice is important in addressing for example Muslim women who are held captives in Islamic marriages. By transferring knowledge from research and adapt it to existing models within social work many sharia related problems can be solved.
Contact:
Jesper Petersen, affiliated researcher, History of Religions and ReligiousBehavioural Science, Lund Unviersity.
