READ: BU Alum Feyza Burak-Adli’s Editorial ‘Genderless souls?: Sufi women in sociopolitical contexts’

EXCERPT: “The present moment invites us to further challenge how we can think of Sufism and gender through a rigorous reflection not only on the ways in which gender and religious identities intersect but also, more importantly, on how this nexus is shaped by the larger shifting socio-political realities, agendas, and anxieties of a multiplicity of social actors. To that end, this special issue offers a fresh perspective through several case studies of how Sufism and gender are deeply imbricated with national and global politics. It aims for a deeper understanding of the dynamic and contested roles that women play within Sufi traditions, offering new insights into the ongoing evolution of Sufism in the contemporary world. Paying close attention to the spatial and temporal sites of entanglement of Sufi tradition with racial, gendered, and classed social imaginaries, this special issue of Culture and Religion delves into the multifaceted intersections of Sufism, gender, and politics. It offers a rich exploration of how these dynamics unfold across different historical and cultural contexts.”