Religion, Gender and Citizenship

“Religion, Gender and Citizenship is an important intervention in the topic of religious women and their everyday lives. It does not rely on religious texts or rituals to reach conclusions, but rather takes an honest look at religious woman from three European countries … . The book does an excellent job of demonstrating how women negotiate citizenship, belonging, faith and the issue of how to relate to both women of different faiths and secular women.” (Haje Keli, LSE Review of Books, blogs.lse.ac.uk, April, 2018)

“This book is based on a comparative study of Christian and Muslim women in Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It is a result of research conducted within the research project ‘FEMCIT: Gendered Citizenship in Multicultural Europe: The Impact of Women’s Movements’. …Nyhagen and Halsaa have provided a fascinating and thorough analysis of how Muslim and Christian women in three European countries view citizenship, religion, and gender. …For anyone interested in these issues, this book is a must-read.” (Inger Furseth, NORA - Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, Vol. 25 (3), October, 2017)

“The authors adopt a kind of sociological detachment from the views of their participants, showing the variety and complexity of their views … . In conclusion, I can thoroughly recommend this absorbing book. It employs a wealth of subtly analysed empirical material to address a topic that has long been uncomfortable for feminists, and yet one which demands our attention in an age when religion is increasing rather than declining in political significance.” (Dave Elder-Vass, The Sociological Review, Vol. 65 (2), May, 2017)

“Religion, Gender and Citizenship investigates how in Norway, the United Kingdom and Spain, Christian and Muslim women live religion in their everyday lives and conceptualize citizenship, gender equality, women’s movements and feminism. … Several strengths characterize the rich, well-written and nuanced monograph under review. … this book by Nyhagen and Halsaa is a necessary and welcome piece of research on the relevant role religion plays in our gendered western societies and polities.” (Celia Valiente, International Feminist Journal of Politics, Vol. 19 (2), May, 2017)​
“Because of growing religious diversity in many countries in the world, religion has gained much attention in the research of various disciplines. … Their analysis contributes to a more nuanced understanding of women and religion in Europe. … political scientists, gender researchers, and sociologists, but also readers mainly interested in theology, religious studies, or diaconal studies can learn a lot by reading this book.” (Annette Leis-Peters, Diaconia, Vol. 8, 2017)

“The volume Religion, Gender and Citizenship by Line Nyhagen and Beatrice Halsaa is an inspiring illustration of cross-national and comparative research on religion and gender. … Applying an intersectional awareness, the authors demonstrate that not only religion and gender but also race/ethnicity are important aspects of the identities and experiences of religious women. … Religion, Gender and Citizenship is therefore crucial literature for scholars engaged in the sociological and anthropological study of religion and gender.” (Nella van den Brandt, Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies, Vol. 20 (4), 2017)