The Political Appropriation of the Muslim Body

The Centre for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice (CCLCJ) and Gender and Law at Durham (GLAD) are delighted to host Professor Susan Edwards (Barrister, University of Buckingham former Dean of Law), who will present the research from her recent monograph: The Political Appropriation of the Muslim Body: Islamophobia, Counter-Terrorism Law and Gender. 

Drawing upon law, politics, sociology, and gender studies, this research explores the ways in which the Muslim body is stereotyped, interrogated, appropriated and demonised in Western societies and subject to counter-terrorism legislation and the suspension of human rights. Professor Edwards examines the intense scrutiny of Muslim women’s dress and appearance, and their experience of hate crimes, as well as how Muslim men’s bodies are emasculated, effeminised and subjected to torture. The research explores a range of issues including Western legislation and foreign policy against the ‘Other’, orientalism, Islamophobia, masculinity, the intersection of gender with nationalism and questions about diversity, inclusion, religious freedom, citizenship and identity. 

Professor Susan Edwards is Emeritus Professor at the University of Buckingham. Her teaching and research areas are in Family Law, Sex, Gender and Minorities in the Legal Process, Criminology, Criminal Justice, Legal Skills and Procedure, Constitutional and Administrative Law, and Human Rights. She is a barrister at Red Lion Chambers London and a well-known writer and broadcaster on feminist issues. You can hear her talk about “Regulating the ‘Rough Sex’ excuse” on the Red Lion Chambers YouTube channel. Professor Edwards spoke to David Lammy MP on LBC radio on 30 December 2021 following the Ghislane Maxwell sex trafficking trial. Listen to the full interview here from 08:15-20:08. You can listen to more about the themes in her book in a podcast interview here. 

The event will take place in person and online. Please register here. If you plan to attend in person, please register by 12:00 pm on Friday 28 January 2022. Registration for online attendees is available until 12:00 pm on Thursday 3 February 2022.