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With the Best of Intentions : Divorced Custodian Mothers Negotiating Access to Housing in Egypt

Lindbekk, Monika LU and Hendawy, Mennatullah (2022) In Journal of Legal Anthropology 6(1).
Abstract
This article contributes to a growing literature on the implementation of shariʿa-derived state legislation in Egypt by exploring how differently positioned divorced mothers navigate Egypt's highly gendered personal status codes under circumstances where many men are increasingly unable to discharge their part of the ‘patriarchal bargain’ due to a shortage in affordable housing. We highlight two discrepancies between legislative rules and social practice: The first is the divergence between state law and everyday norms, and the second looks at the limits of implementation and compliance in terms of actions taken by courts and other officials. We consider how and why Muslim personal status law reforms have sought to enhance divorced women's... (More)
This article contributes to a growing literature on the implementation of shariʿa-derived state legislation in Egypt by exploring how differently positioned divorced mothers navigate Egypt's highly gendered personal status codes under circumstances where many men are increasingly unable to discharge their part of the ‘patriarchal bargain’ due to a shortage in affordable housing. We highlight two discrepancies between legislative rules and social practice: The first is the divergence between state law and everyday norms, and the second looks at the limits of implementation and compliance in terms of actions taken by courts and other officials. We consider how and why Muslim personal status law reforms have sought to enhance divorced women's bargaining position in the family where the relevant laws often have unintended, unforeseen and contradictory consequences when it comes to divorced custodian mothers’ access to housing. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
alimony, custody, custody house, divorce, Islamic law, Muslim personal status law, marriage
in
Journal of Legal Anthropology
volume
6
issue
1
publisher
Berghahn Books
ISSN
1758-9576
DOI
10.3167/jla.2022.060104
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a5de2f2f-5014-407c-8cb1-e2fb5cc1d035
date added to LUP
2023-06-30 23:14:43
date last changed
2023-07-04 13:34:03
@article{a5de2f2f-5014-407c-8cb1-e2fb5cc1d035,
  abstract     = {{This article contributes to a growing literature on the implementation of shariʿa-derived state legislation in Egypt by exploring how differently positioned divorced mothers navigate Egypt's highly gendered personal status codes under circumstances where many men are increasingly unable to discharge their part of the ‘patriarchal bargain’ due to a shortage in affordable housing. We highlight two discrepancies between legislative rules and social practice: The first is the divergence between state law and everyday norms, and the second looks at the limits of implementation and compliance in terms of actions taken by courts and other officials. We consider how and why Muslim personal status law reforms have sought to enhance divorced women's bargaining position in the family where the relevant laws often have unintended, unforeseen and contradictory consequences when it comes to divorced custodian mothers’ access to housing.}},
  author       = {{Lindbekk, Monika and Hendawy, Mennatullah}},
  issn         = {{1758-9576}},
  keywords     = {{alimony; custody; custody house; divorce; Islamic law; Muslim personal status law; marriage}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Berghahn Books}},
  series       = {{Journal of Legal Anthropology}},
  title        = {{With the Best of Intentions : Divorced Custodian Mothers Negotiating Access to Housing in Egypt}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3167/jla.2022.060104}},
  doi          = {{10.3167/jla.2022.060104}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}