Arisika Razak
While spirituality has often been separated from feminism, this essay suggests that a number of prominent theorists in the diverse fields of Africana Studies (Amadiume, 1998; Badjo,1996; Teish,1994); Chicano Studies (Anzaldua, 2007/1987); Indigenous Studies (Harjo, 1991; Mehesuah, 2003); Islamic Studies (Wadud, 2006); Queer Studies (Grahn, 2009); and Women’s Spirituality/Women and Gender Studies (Brooten, 2010; Walker, 1983) have all linked empowered roles for women and other oppressed groups to contemporary and historic liberatory spiritual frameworks and culturally specific Indigenous roles for women and other oppressed genders. The contemporary divine feminist, (a term coined by Professor Alka Arora) is one who walks the contested borderlands between secular feminisms, philosophy and religious studies, and ethnic/indigenous studies. They integrate diverse spiritual frameworks elaborated by people of color, liberatory theory and praxis supporting the empowerment of women and other oppressed genders with Euro-American academic perspectives, and contemporary disability and embodiment studies to develop new forms of activism, scholarship and alliance building that benefits the Earth and all sentient life.
Tags: Gloria Anzaldua, Indigenous Studies, Luisah Teish, nepantiera, Oshun, African Diasporic Spiritualities, Women's Studies, African women, womanism, Alice Walker, Women's Spirituality, Amina Wadud, Razak, borderlands frameworks, divine feminine; divine feminist
