Bringing together leading international scholars, this authoritative Research Handbook examines how religion, family life and the civil state shape questions of identity and belonging. It considers how religious traditions and modern legal systems interact across issues such as marriage and divorce, reproductive technologies, LGBTQ+ rights, parenthood, inheritance and children’s rights.
Combining theoretical, comparative and practical perspectives, contributing authors provide a global view of major traditions, including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism, across diverse regions and legal systems. They highlight both shared challenges and critical distinctions in how societies address questions of gender equality, religious freedom, multiculturalism and individual choice. The Handbook also distinguishes ‘law on the books’ from ‘law in action’ in the regulation of religion and family life, proposing new possibilities for balancing tradition with modern commitments to fairness and autonomy. Bridging regional and disciplinary literatures, chapters encourage dialogue across legal and religious traditions and methodological approaches.
The Research Handbook on Family Law and Religion is an important reference for scholars and students in family law, law and religion, comparative law and related disciplines. Analyzing pressing contemporary legal controversies, it is also relevant for judges, policymakers, practitioners and human rights advocates.
