Projects
Women & Worship
This project was funded by Community & Local Government’s Faiths in Action programme, to create opportunities for women of different faiths, or no-faith, from the London borough of Tower Hamlets and surrounding areas, to explore religious spaces, engage in dialogue, and build understanding. This will involve running a short series of visits to religious spaces in London, followed by discussion and sharing of experiences.
During the project, visits were made to:
Bow Church, the parish church of St Mary and Holy Trinity Bow (Tuesday 8th February 2011)
Mosque at Ilford Islamic Centre, and London Buddhist Centre (Tuesday 22nd February 2011) Download flyer (PDF, 115kb)
A seminar was held with London Women & Planning Forum at Queen Mary University on 16th March 2011. Download flyer (Word doc, 250kb)
Drawing upon visits to sacred spaces and narrative work with women of faith in east London, the seminar shall asked: How can we understand sacred spaces as communal and inclusive, if women are sometimes excluded? Is exclusion designed into sacred space? Can we share sacred space?
Speakers included:
Chair: Olivia Sheringham, QMUL
Dr Amanda Claremont – Chair, Women’s Design Service
Dr Barbra Wallace – Director, Women’s Design Service
Patrick Anderson – Planning Advisor, Planning Aid for London
“Faith, Worship and Town Planning: the Impact of Migration and Globalisation”.
Dr HaeRan Shin - Lecturer, Bartlett School of Planning, UCL / LWPF
“Understanding Gendered Mobility and God - From Stories of Korean Christian Immigrant Women in Los Angeles”
Dr Ann David– Principal Lecturer, Department of Dance, Roehampton University
“Gendered Dynamics of the Divine: Issues of Space and Place in Hindu Groups in east London”
Discussant – Dr Clare Melhuish – Visiting Research Fellowship, Brunel (Anthropology) / LWPF