Motherhood and Lived Religion: Empirical Study on Perceptions and Experiences of Shiite Mothering in Belgium

This project seeks to research the relationship between lived religion, perceptions and experiences of motherhood among Shiite women in Belgium. Under the umbrella notion of motherhood, the research includes women with and without children. The project develops a comprehensive multi-method qualitative research plan using content and critical discourse analysis, interviews, and ethnography. It investigates how Shiite women in the diaspora negotiate their mothering choices and maternal work at the intersection of social, gendered and religious identifications. To do this, the project first analyses Shiite ethical and practical guidelines with regard to maternity and motherhood. Then, the empirical query will collect narratives of Shiite mothers to investigate how compatible the religious guidelines are with their everyday lived experiences. Through the analysis, the research expands the understanding of the role lived religion plays in shaping the ideological, practical and material experiences of mothers. Doing so, the study adopts a comprehensive approach that includes both juristic and social aspects of motherhood. This evidence-based view of Shiite mothers is especially important considering the current "othering" of Muslim women living in the diaspora.