The debate surrounding greater accommodation of Shari’a Law in English Family Law

The purpose of the main project is to examine the extent to which, if at all, Shari’a Law should be accommodated within mainstream English Family Law. It will examine whether a model of family justice based on a pluralist vision of personal family laws is viable and/or desirable in improving access to justice for Muslim families living in the UK. Several distinct research questions arise from this issue of which the proposed PhD will form part. It is envisaged that the project as a whole will involve work at both a theoretical, comparative and empirical level. Proposals are invited which may involve working with the English judiciary, the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal, Shari’a Councils, Muslim communities and/or looking at approaches adopted in other jurisdictions.
The student will be based within the Law School’s Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research.
Enquiries contact: Professor Sonia Harris-Short ([Email Address Removed])