Queer and Religious Alliances in Family Law Politics and Beyond

Journal of Law and Religion review

AG AboutGender - International Journal of Gender Studies review

Michigan Journal of Law & Society

"Insightful, provocative, and cutting-edge, Palazzo and Redding’s book brings a novel perspective to an area that suffers academic stagnation: the politics of the recognition of diverse family structures. The premise of the book—those religious activists and queer advocates, though strange bedfellows, might be allies in promoting a more pluralistic conception of relationships—opens up unexpected and unexplored intellectual avenues. Written by a group of worldwide leading thinkers in diverse disciplines, the chapters offer a nuanced and sober account of the possibilities and the boundaries of a queer-religious alliance. A bold intervention, this book should be useful to anyone with an interest in queer politics, relationship recognition, and religious perspectives in law." — Erez Aloni, Associate Professor, Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia, Canada.

“This volume makes useful and original contributions to several fields, addressing relatively new and emerging areas. A key strength is its openness to the varying potential for alliances between religious groups and queer ones, giving us conceptual tools for dealing with this diversity on the ground.”— Robert Leckey, Dean, Professor, and Samuel Gale Chair, Faculty of Law, McGill University, Canada.

“This thought-provoking volume offers a thorough triangulation, from queer and religious perspectives, of the role of the state, civic organizations, and individuals in norming nonnormative families. Following a rich introduction, the contributors each convincingly demonstrate how queer and religious groups, as unlikely companions, can advance family law and broader constitutional debate toward much-needed legal pluralism.”—Frederik Swennen, Dean and Professor of Family Law and Kinship Studies, University of Antwerp, Belgium.

 Redding and Palazzo’s volume on family law alliances opens the door beyond our current conversations—those about free exercise and equal protection—to something a little more affirming, reparative, and queer.—Journal of Law and Religion

Queer and Religious Alliances in Family Law Politics and Beyond, edited by Nausica Palazzo and Jeffrey Redding, offers a unique and original perspective on the overlooked topic of building coalitions between queer and religious groups in the fight for the pluralization of family law. The book builds upon existing socio-legal scholarship focused on recognizing “unconventional” families, such as non-conjugal unions, polyamorous relationships, and polygamous forms. It is praiseworthy how Queer and Religious Alliances in Family Law Politics and Beyond addresses the largely unexplored issue of queer and religious alliances comprehensively, while also acknowledging the challenges and complexities that arise from these alliances or their absence.—AG AboutGender —International Journal of Gender Studies

Palazzo and Redding’s ambitions here whet the appetite for more realities and possible alliances between traditionally opposite sides of cultural narratives. We need more volumes like this, more discoveries of realities beneath mainstream cultural conversations regarding differences in family and relationships. We can and need to do more work. Those at the reins of promoting cultural battles want us to choose one side over another, when in actuality we can choose both. This reality is what Palazzo, Redding, and the scholars of this wonderful project all eventually remind us.—Michigan Journal of Law & Society