Minority Law in Arab States: Governing Religious Diversity
Call for Papers
Arab states have adopted diverse approaches and employed varied strategies to institutionalize family laws and govern religious diversity often granting religious communities a great degree of legal autonomy. These approaches are shaped by historical, social, and political contexts, reflecting the complex interplay between law, religion, and governance. Compared to Muslim communities, the laws governing religious minorities in Arab states have received little scholarly attention, despite their prevalence, impact, and reform efforts, which they are subject to. In many Arab states, religious communities exercise autonomy in family and inheritance law, allowing their religious leadership to directly shape the rights—and the lack thereof—of their members. Minorities are also disproportionately affected by conflict which exacerbates family law-related issues such as inheritance and property rights. This conference foregrounds the complex interplay between legal autonomy and the governance of religious diversity. Our aim is to convene scholars employing different methodological and theoretical approaches (especially from law, anthropology, political science, history, Middle Eastern studies) together with legal practitioners and policymakers.
Possible Topics
We invite submissions that address particularly, but not exclusively:
- Legal pluralism,
- Minority responses to the governance of religious diversity,
- Gender and inter-religious relationships,
- The impact of conflict on family laws,
- International law, institutions, and advocacy,
- Local, national, and regional policy and reform perspectives.
Members in Charge
- Dörthe Engelcke, Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, Hamburg, Germany
- Mohammad Al-Saidi, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
Cooperation Partners
The conference will be organized in cooperation with the Centre of Expertise for the Law of Arab and Islamic Countries at the
Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law in Hamburg, Germany.
How to apply?
Papers should be based on original, unpublished research. We welcome contributions from scholars of all stages of their career. Please send the abstract of your proposed paper (up to 300 words) by March 24, 2025 to Ms. Tess Chemnitzer (chemnitzer(at)mpipriv.de).
The travel and accommodation costs will be covered by AGYA for the selected participants. Funding is still subject to approval.
Important Dates
- 24 March 2025: Submission of abstracts (max. 300 words)
- 31 March 2025: Notification of accepted abstracts
- 14-15 July 2025: International conference in Hamburg, Germany