Gendered contours of contemporary South Asian religious practices in the context of migration: second-generation Jain women and men in Britain and the US
Viewing religion through the social constructionist lens and adopting the methodological approach of 'lived religion', this article draws attention to the gendered contours of contemporary Jain practice. Although Jain dharma is a non-theistic, non-institutionalised religion, gender differe...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Carfax Publ.
[2019]
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In: |
Journal of contemporary religion
Year: 2019, Volume: 34, Issue: 2, Pages: 331-351 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Great Britain
/ USA
/ Indians
/ Immigrants
/ Second-generation immigrants
/ Jainism
/ Religious practice
/ Gender-specific role
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RelBib Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy AG Religious life; material religion BL Buddhism KBF British Isles KBM Asia |
Further subjects: | B
Second-generation Jains
B Jain dharma B everyday religious practice B Gender B Masculinities B femininities |
Online Access: |
Presumably Free Access Volltext (Resolving-System) Volltext (doi) |
Summary: | Viewing religion through the social constructionist lens and adopting the methodological approach of 'lived religion', this article draws attention to the gendered contours of contemporary Jain practice. Although Jain dharma is a non-theistic, non-institutionalised religion, gender differences are embedded within lay practice in India. In contrast, analysis of qualitative data (interviews conducted with 50 second-generation, middle- and upper middle-class Jain women and men in Britain and the US) reveals a gender convergence in patterns of everyday religious practice and performance. I argue that the social turn in late modern societies, together with the dominance of a neo-orthodox approach among diasporic Jains, facilitates this convergence. Further, shifting patterns of religious practices suggest that religion is an important site for the negotiation of gender identities in the context of migration. The construction of Jain religious selves enables young Jains-both women and men-to navigate multiple and contradictory femininities and masculinities and to display more affective, relational, and compassionate selves in late modern societies. |
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ISSN: | 1469-9419 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2019.1621551 |