The study examines how religious and state health policies influence marriage and reproductive practices, particularly in close-knit religious communities in Europe and the Middle East. In many of these communities, marriages within families or the same community are encouraged to preserve cultural and religious identities. While this fosters continuity, it can also increase the risk of inherited genetic disorders, leading to increased government regulation for communities considered "genetically at risk."
The project will explore these dynamics across various healthcare systems, policies, and religious traditions, aiming to give a comprehensive understanding of the intersection between genetics, religion, and family life. The grant will provide resources for fieldwork in the Middle East, Europe, and North America as well as the recruitment of an interdisciplinary research team.
About Dr. Yafa Shanneik
Yafa Shanneik is Visiting Professor of Islamic Studies. Her research focuses on the intersections between Islam, gender, and migration in two regional contexts: Europe and the Middle East. She has a particular interest in transnational Muslim female resistance movements and has conducted extensive ethnographic research in Britain, Germany, Ireland, Jordan, Iran and the Arab Gulf states.
Interview with Yafa Shanneik (in Swedish).
Read more about the ERC Consolidator Grant here.
