The Liberal Bind: The Conflict between Women's Rights and Patriarchal Religion in the Liberal State

Social Theory and Practice, Vol. 31, No. 2, p. 191, April 2005

39 Pages Posted: 3 Sep 2007

See all articles by Gila Stopler

Gila Stopler

College of Law and Business - Ramat Gan Law School

Abstract

Surveying the relationship between religion and the state in the US and in European liberal democracies the article distinguishes between five different facets of the relationship between religion and the state in liberal democracies - institutional differentiation between religion and the state, strong protection of religious liberty, the involvement of religion in politics, the extent of religious involvement in education and social services, and the levels of religious belief of individuals in society - and discusses how each of them affects women's right to equality. The article argues that contrary to common assumptions the relationship between patriarchal religion and the state in liberal democracies adversely affects the rights of all women, and that liberal states cannot live up to their commitment to women's equality without significantly changing their relations with patriarchal religions. The article concludes that liberal states need to take proactive steps to minimize the power of patriarchal religion and advance women's right to equality and that such steps are compatible with the liberal commitment to neutrality and toleration.

Keywords: women, equality, church state relations, religion, liberalism

Suggested Citation

Stopler, Gila, The Liberal Bind: The Conflict between Women's Rights and Patriarchal Religion in the Liberal State. Social Theory and Practice, Vol. 31, No. 2, p. 191, April 2005, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1010448

Gila Stopler (Contact Author)

College of Law and Business - Ramat Gan Law School ( email )

Ben Gurion 26
(p.o.b. 852 Bnei Brak)
Ramat Gan, 51108
Israel

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