About the Scholar: Pioneer Scholar Lobna, originally from Africa and currently a student at Dartmouth College.
The Research:
Comparing philosophy as the head and religion as the heart, Lobna argues that modern philosophers, often liberal in their approach toward other topics, espouse a clear delineation between the sexes in a supposedly rational manner, and then religious leaders enact these beliefs, ensuring that successive generations continue to follows these same patterns. With men claiming their legitimate place as both the mind and heart, Lobna argues, women are left to tend to the body, and therefore shut out of the mind and heart of society.
Lobna concludes by offering a path forward: “In order for us to be nurtured and supported by the women in our lives, we as people who take seriously both our faith and reason – will instead enable women to reclaim their role in society by allowing them access to opportunities for personal and socio-economic empowerment.”
