"a Change Is Gonna Come": The Feminist Legacy of Fatima Mernissi in the Sociology of Religion

This paper explores the impact of Fatima Mernissi on the sociology of religion, focusing particularly on her contributions to understanding the intersections of gender, power, and faith in Arab societies. As one of the most influential feminist intellectuals in the Muslim world, Mernissi challenged patriarchal interpretations of Islam and questioned the power structures that have historically excluded women from religious and political spheres. Through her seminal works such as The Veil and the Male Elite and Islam and Democracy, Mernissi offered a critical lens through which religion can be seen not only as a spiritual system but also as a social construct shaped by dynamics of gender and power.

This presentation will analyze how Mernissi addressed key questions in the sociology of religion, including the re-interpretation of women’s roles in Islam, the distinction between the divine and the social in religious practice, and the challenges of modernity within Arab societies. Using a sociological approach, I will explore her proposals for an inclusive re-reading of Islamic texts and her lasting influence on contemporary debates regarding gender equality in the Muslim world.

Moreover, this study will examine Mernissi’s academic legacy within the broader field of sociology of religion, highlighting how her ideas have been expanded upon and debated by contemporary scholars. The work of those who have engaged with or critiqued her theories will provide a multidimensional view of Mernissi’s ongoing relevance to discussions of religion, society, and gender in the Arab world. This paper aims to contribute to the analysis of how her work continues to shape the understanding of religion’s role in the modern Arab world.