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	<title>FERSkola, Author at FER ŠKOLA</title>
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	<title>FERSkola, Author at FER ŠKOLA</title>
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		<title>FER School: Who Killed God in Her? – Gender-Based Violence at the Intersection of Culture, Religion, and Power Relations</title>
		<link>https://ferschool.org/en/fer-school-who-killed-god-in-her-gender-based-violence-at-the-intersection-of-culture-religion-and-power-relations/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[FERSkola]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:22:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ferschool.org/?p=36599</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Gender-based violence is not merely an individual act of violence, but also a social phenomenon perpetuated through cultural norms, gender stereotypes, religious interpretations, and unequal power relations. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/fer-school-who-killed-god-in-her-gender-based-violence-at-the-intersection-of-culture-religion-and-power-relations/">FER School: Who Killed God in Her? – Gender-Based Violence at the Intersection of Culture, Religion, and Power Relations</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Gender-based violence is not merely an individual act of violence, but also a social phenomenon perpetuated through cultural norms, gender stereotypes, religious interpretations, and unequal power relations. These are precisely the issues explored in the course <strong>Who Killed God in Her? – Gender-Based Violence (GBV)</strong>, offered as part of the 2026/27 winter semester at FER School (Feminism and Religion). The course brings together secular and religious perspectives to examine the causes, mechanisms, and consequences of gender-based violence. The introductory lecture was delivered by Dr. Jelena Ćeriman, who addressed the cultural normalization of violence.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="800" height="528" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Who-killed-God-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-36596" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Who-killed-God-2.jpg 800w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Who-killed-God-2-300x198.jpg 300w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Who-killed-God-2-370x245.jpg 370w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Who-killed-God-2-767x506.jpg 767w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">How does violence become so normalized that we no longer recognize it as violence? Who has the power to determine what constitutes acceptable behavior, whose voices are heard, and whose suffering is silenced? And what roles do culture, religion, and social institutions play in these processes? These questions are at the heart of the course <strong>Who Killed God in Her? – Gender-Based Violence (GBV)</strong>, offered during the 2026/27 winter semester at FER School (Feminism and Religion).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The course approaches gender-based violence as a complex social, cultural, and religious phenomenon that cannot be understood solely through individual incidents of violence. Drawing on interdisciplinary and feminist theoretical approaches, it brings together secular and religious perspectives to critically examine the patterns through which violence is justified, normalized, concealed, or perpetuated within families, communities, and social institutions.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>The introductory lecture was delivered by Dr. Jelena Ćeriman</strong>, who explored the cultural normalization of gender-based violence. The lecture focused on the interconnectedness of social norms, traditional gender roles, and everyday practices through which various forms of violence are presented as natural, private, or inevitable. Particular emphasis was placed on recognizing that violence is sustained not only through physical coercion but also through language, expectations, silence, social pressures, and beliefs that justify inequality between women and men.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the following lecture, <strong>Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak examined different concepts of power</strong>, highlighting the importance of understanding power as one of the key elements underlying gender-based violence. Feminist theories demonstrate that power is not simply an individual&#8217;s ability to control another person; it is also embedded in social institutions, norms, knowledge, and discourses that determine what is considered legitimate, natural, and acceptable. Understanding the distinctions between power over, power to, power with, and power within makes it possible to examine not only mechanisms of domination but also the potential for resistance, empowerment, and social transformation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The course will continue by addressing topics such as domestic violence, sexual violence during wartime, femicide, religious perspectives on violence, different forms of spiritual abuse, and psychotherapeutic approaches to supporting survivors of violence.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A particularly valuable aspect of the course is its integration of feminist critiques of social power relations with a critical examination of religious interpretations and practices. Religion can serve as a source of dignity, solidarity, justice, and protection against violence. However, certain religious interpretations can also be used to justify women&#8217;s subordination, control, and silencing. It is therefore essential to distinguish the fundamental ethical teachings of religious traditions from patriarchal interpretations that present inequality as natural or divinely ordained.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The course also provides space for reflection on different forms of violence, including physical, psychological, sexual, economic, symbolic, and spiritual violence, as well as the ways in which these forms intersect and reinforce one another. Particular attention is devoted to recognizing patterns that prevent victims and survivors of violence from speaking out, seeking support, and exercising their rights.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">By combining theoretical knowledge, critical analysis, and dialogue, the course Who Killed God in Her? seeks to encourage participants to question deeply rooted assumptions about gender, authority, and violence, while developing their capacity to recognize and challenge various forms of discrimination and violence.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The educational mission of FER School is grounded in the belief that transforming violent social patterns begins with critically recognizing and questioning them. Challenging the cultural normalization of violence and unequal power relations is therefore not merely an academic endeavor, but also an important step toward building a society in which human dignity, equality, and freedom from violence are upheld as fundamental and non-negotiable values.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/fer-school-who-killed-god-in-her-gender-based-violence-at-the-intersection-of-culture-religion-and-power-relations/">FER School: Who Killed God in Her? – Gender-Based Violence at the Intersection of Culture, Religion, and Power Relations</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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		<title>FER School: Gender, Religion, Media and Artificial Intelligence – Who Shapes Our Perceptions of Women and Men?</title>
		<link>https://ferschool.org/en/fer-school-gender-religion-media-and-artificial-intelligence-who-shapes-our-perceptions-of-women-and-men/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[FERSkola]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:19:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ferschool.org/?p=36593</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The media do not merely reflect social reality; they actively participate in shaping gender identities, religious representations, and power relations.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/fer-school-gender-religion-media-and-artificial-intelligence-who-shapes-our-perceptions-of-women-and-men/">FER School: Gender, Religion, Media and Artificial Intelligence – Who Shapes Our Perceptions of Women and Men?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The media do not merely reflect social reality; they actively participate in shaping gender identities, religious representations, and power relations. In the digital age, algorithms and artificial intelligence raise further questions about who controls information, how stereotypes are created, and how social inequalities are reproduced. These are precisely the issues explored in the course <strong>Gender, Religion, Media and AI</strong>, offered as part of the 2026/27 winter semester at FER School (Feminism and Religion). The introductory lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Jasmina Husanović, who discussed the importance of the media, particularly new media, in mediating cultural content and shaping social reality.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="725" height="600" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Gender-and-Media-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-36590" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Gender-and-Media-2.jpg 725w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Gender-and-Media-2-300x248.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Who decides how women and men are represented in the media? Why are certain gender and religious representations continually reproduced? How do film, popular culture, and digital platforms shape our understanding of gender, religion, and social relations? And can algorithms and artificial intelligence be neutral when they are developed in societies marked by inequality?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">These questions lie at the heart of the course <strong>Gender, Religion, Media and AI</strong>, offered during the 2026/27 winter semester at FER School (Feminism and Religion). The course provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how the media, cultural narratives, religious symbols, and digital technologies contribute to shaping gender identities and social power relations.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>The introductory lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Jasmina Husanović</strong>, who opened a space for critical reflection on the interconnectedness of gender, religion, culture, and media representations. The lecture focused on how representations of women and men are constructed through different forms of cultural and media content, how social norms are established, and how popular culture can both reinforce and challenge dominant gender stereotypes.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>In the following lecture, Prof. Dr. Suzana Peran</strong> continued the discussion on the relationship between gender, religion, and the media, placing particular emphasis on the importance of critically interpreting media content. The media are not neutral channels of information but spaces in which meanings are produced and communicated, social values are shaped, and boundaries are established between what is presented as normal, desirable, or unacceptable. Analyzing media representations of women, men, and religious identities therefore requires careful examination of language, visual messages, stereotypes, and power relations.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Throughout the course, participants will explore a range of topics connecting gender, religion, film, popular culture, advertising, and digital technologies. Particular attention will be devoted to how women are represented through contrasting images of saints and sinners, desirable and undesirable women, as well as how religious symbols and traditional gender patterns are employed in film and media narratives.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Another important topic will be gender representations in Yugoslav cinema, offering opportunities to critically examine social transformations, cultural expectations, and the ways in which female and male identities were constructed within different historical and ideological contexts.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A dedicated part of the course will focus on artificial intelligence and the algorithmic shaping of social reality. Digital platforms and artificial intelligence systems are not free from gender and other social biases. Algorithms are developed using data that often reflect existing inequalities, meaning they can reproduce stereotypes and discriminatory patterns. This raises important questions about the accountability of technology companies, algorithmic transparency, and the possibility of developing digital technologies that respect human dignity, equality, and diversity.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Feminist approaches to media and artificial intelligence allow technological issues to be understood not merely as technical matters but also as ethical, political, and social questions. Who has the power to produce knowledge? Whose experiences remain invisible? Who decides which information becomes accessible and which voices are marginalized? These questions are particularly important at a time when digital technologies increasingly shape public spaces, education, and everyday life.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Through lectures and discussions, the course <strong>Gender, Religion, Media and AI</strong> aims to empower participants to critically interpret media messages, recognize gender and religious stereotypes, and engage responsibly with emerging technologies.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The educational mission of FER School extends beyond the transmission of knowledge to developing the ability to recognize and question the patterns that shape our understanding of the world. In this sense, critical analysis of media and artificial intelligence becomes an essential part of feminist education and efforts to build more equitable, responsible, and inclusive social relations.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/fer-school-gender-religion-media-and-artificial-intelligence-who-shapes-our-perceptions-of-women-and-men/">FER School: Gender, Religion, Media and Artificial Intelligence – Who Shapes Our Perceptions of Women and Men?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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		<title>God, Sex and Gender – Feminist Theology Opens New Questions About God, Gender, and Society</title>
		<link>https://ferschool.org/en/god-sex-and-gender-feminist-theology-opens-new-questions-about-god-gender-and-society/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[FERSkola]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:47:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ferschool.org/?p=36587</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>What gender is God? Does God have a sex or gender? How do representations of God shape our understanding of femininity and masculinity, and what social implications do they have for the position of women and men? These are some of the key questions explored in the course God, Sex and Gender – Feminist Theology, offered during the winter [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/god-sex-and-gender-feminist-theology-opens-new-questions-about-god-gender-and-society/">God, Sex and Gender – Feminist Theology Opens New Questions About God, Gender, and Society</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>What gender is God? Does God have a sex or gender? How do representations of God shape our understanding of femininity and masculinity, and what social implications do they have for the position of women and men?</strong><br> These are some of the key questions explored in the course <br><strong>God, Sex and Gender – Feminist Theology</strong><br>, offered during the winter semester of the 2026/2027 academic year as part of the FER School – Feminism and Religion. The introductory lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Tina Beattie, who addressed fundamental questions concerning the relationship between gender and religion. Subsequent lectures will be delivered by internationally recognized scholars in feminist theology, religious studies, and gender studies.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" width="640" height="480" data-id="36584" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/God-sex-gender-2-Medium.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-36584" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/God-sex-gender-2-Medium.jpeg 640w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/God-sex-gender-2-Medium-300x225.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="510" data-id="36585" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/God-sex-gender-3-Medium.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-36585" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/God-sex-gender-3-Medium.jpeg 640w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/God-sex-gender-3-Medium-300x239.jpeg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Screenshot</figcaption></figure>
</figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Although God is understood in monotheistic religions as a transcendent being who exists beyond human categories of sex and gender, religious language, symbols, and representations of God are often shaped by masculine imagery and metaphors.&nbsp;<strong>Why is God predominantly represented in masculine terms, and how do such representations influence the distribution of power, authority, and social roles between women and men?</strong>&nbsp;Can we speak about God beyond binary gender categories, and what can feminist theology and different religious traditions teach us about these questions?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The introductory lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Tina Beattie, who presented key issues concerning the relationship between gender and religion, highlighting the importance of feminist approaches in critically re-examining religious traditions, theological interpretations, and social norms.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The subsequent lectures will be delivered by Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak, Prof. Dr. Elana Stokzman, Prof. Dr. Selina Palms, Prof. Dr. Anja Zalta, Prof. Dr. Nadja Furlan, and Elma Softić-Kaunitz, MSc. Drawing on diverse religious and feminist perspectives, the lecturers will examine the gender dimensions of theological discourse about God, feminine and masculine metaphors of the divine, the relationship between religious symbolism and social power, and possibilities for rethinking gender within religious traditions.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Particular attention will be devoted to&nbsp;<strong>how theological representations become social norms</strong>, specifically how certain gender roles come to be presented as natural, unchangeable, or divinely ordained. Feminist theology therefore questions not only how we speak about God but also the implications of such language for human dignity, equality, and freedom.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The course provides a space for interdisciplinary and interreligious dialogue, encouraging participants to critically reflect on inherited interpretations and recognize the emancipatory potential within religious traditions.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For the question of whether God has a gender is not merely a theological one. It is also a question of who has the authority to represent God, speak in God&#8217;s name, and determine the place of women and men in society.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/god-sex-and-gender-feminist-theology-opens-new-questions-about-god-gender-and-society/">God, Sex and Gender – Feminist Theology Opens New Questions About God, Gender, and Society</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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		<title>FER School: Gender, Religion and Peacebuilding – From Theoretical Approaches to Peacebuilding Practice</title>
		<link>https://ferschool.org/en/fer-school-gender-religion-and-peacebuilding-from-theoretical-approaches-to-peacebuilding-practice/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[FERSkola]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2026 14:44:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ferschool.org/?p=36580</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Peace is not merely the absence of war and direct violence, but also a process of transforming social relations, inequalities, and structures that produce violence and exclusion.&#160;It is from this perspective that the course&#160;Gender, Religion and Peacebuilding&#160;began as part of the 2026/27 winter semester of FER School (Feminism and Religion). The course is taught by Prof. Dr. [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/fer-school-gender-religion-and-peacebuilding-from-theoretical-approaches-to-peacebuilding-practice/">FER School: Gender, Religion and Peacebuilding – From Theoretical Approaches to Peacebuilding Practice</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Peace is not merely the absence of war and direct violence, but also a process of transforming social relations, inequalities, and structures that produce violence and exclusion.</strong>&nbsp;It is from this perspective that the course&nbsp;<em>Gender, Religion and Peacebuilding</em>&nbsp;began as part of the 2026/27 winter semester of FER School (Feminism and Religion). The course is taught by Prof. Dr. Zlatiborka Popov-Momčinović, Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak, Prof. Dr. Larisa Kasumagić-Kafedžić, Dr. Amra Pandžo, and Randall Puljek-Shank.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="382" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-20-at-18.34.02-Medium.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-36578" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-20-at-18.34.02-Medium.jpeg 640w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-20-at-18.34.02-Medium-300x179.jpeg 300w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-20-at-18.34.02-Medium-370x220.jpeg 370w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-20-at-18.34.02-Medium-570x340.jpeg 570w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Screenshot</figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The introductory lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Zlatiborka Popov-Momčinović, who presented key theoretical approaches to peacebuilding and raised questions about how gender relations, religious identities, and social structures contribute to the emergence of conflicts, as well as the possibilities for overcoming them. Particular attention was devoted to understanding peace as a long-term process that requires not only the cessation of violence but also the building of trust, social justice, equality, and inclusive social relations.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Throughout the course, participants will explore various dimensions of peacebuilding, including&nbsp;<strong>nonviolent communication, critical analysis of nationalism, feminist approaches to peacebuilding, and the contributions of monotheistic religions to peace processes</strong>. Special emphasis will be placed on feminist perspectives that challenge traditional concepts of security and peace and highlight the importance of women&#8217;s experiences, agency, and leadership in conflict prevention, reconciliation, and community rebuilding.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">One of the key topics of the course will be the relationship between religion, violence, and peace. Participants will examine how religious traditions can be instrumentalized to justify divisions and exclusion, while also exploring their ethical resources for nonviolence, solidarity, dialogue, and reconciliation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In addition to theoretical and critical approaches, the course incorporates a practical dimension of peacebuilding by introducing participants to&nbsp;<strong>indicators for monitoring and evaluating peacebuilding activities</strong>. This component aims to connect academic understandings of peacebuilding with concrete methods for tracking change and assessing the impact of peace initiatives.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The course&nbsp;<strong>Gender, Religion and Peacebuilding</strong>&nbsp;contributes to the educational mission of FER School by creating space for critical reflection on religion, gender, and society through an interdisciplinary and feminist approach. It also seeks to empower participants to actively contribute to building more just, nonviolent, and inclusive communities.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/fer-school-gender-religion-and-peacebuilding-from-theoretical-approaches-to-peacebuilding-practice/">FER School: Gender, Religion and Peacebuilding – From Theoretical Approaches to Peacebuilding Practice</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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		<title>Why Are We Afraid of Mary&#8217;s Voice?</title>
		<link>https://ferschool.org/en/why-are-we-afraid-of-marys-voice/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[FERSkola]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2026 19:55:29 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Vanja Ivkovic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kolumn-Last-EN]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ferschool.org/?p=36563</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Mother of God is perhaps the most well-known woman in Christianity. Her face is everywhere: on church walls, in paintings, statues, medals, and shrines. For centuries, we have addressed her as Mother, our Intercessor, and Queen. And sometimes a thought crosses my mind: Have we elevated Mary so much that she has become an abstraction to [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/why-are-we-afraid-of-marys-voice/">Why Are We Afraid of Mary&#8217;s Voice?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Mother of God is perhaps the most well-known woman in Christianity. Her face is everywhere: on church walls, in paintings, statues, medals, and shrines. For centuries, we have addressed her as Mother, our Intercessor, and Queen.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And sometimes a thought crosses my mind: Have we elevated Mary so much that she has become an abstraction to us—that we have stopped encountering her as a woman?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Because the woman who appears in the pages of the Gospel is not exactly silent, gentle, faceless, or uninvolved, as we may often imagine her to be.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We can see from the text that when the angel announces what is going to happen to her, she asks:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“How will this be?” (Luke 1:34)</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She asks a question.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The renowned Czech theologian Tomáš Halík, in his book Patience with God, warns of the danger of a faith that has forgotten how to ask questions. “Answers without questions—without those that originally provoked these answers, but also without those that arise anew through the answers—are like trees without roots,” Halík writes. He then adds: “Only in the encounter between questions and answers do our statements acquire their true meaning and living dynamism: truth happens in dialogue.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Perhaps this is precisely one of the important challenges facing the Church today: before offering an answer, it is necessary to hear the question. It is essential to create space for people&#8217;s needs.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To hear the person who searches, doubts, suffers, questions, and perhaps no longer knows how to express their longing for God. A faith that fears questions easily turns into a collection of ready-made answers; living faith, by contrast, remains on the path of searching. Faith is always more about seeking and questioning than about having answers.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And then comes the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55)—something extraordinarily powerful, free from superficial piety. This is not merely the voice of Mary as a mother. She raises her voice against injustice, poverty, hunger, and humiliation, knowing that God is not indifferent to any of these.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary does not speak soft or easy words. She proclaims a powerful text that we ourselves might not dare to utter so readily today.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is not easy for us to challenge or call out the powerful on their thrones, the wealthy, and those in positions of authority. That is why the Magnificat remains so relevant today, but also dangerous. Mary knows that God stands with the poor, the oppressed, and the humiliated. She does not speak from the comfort of religious devotion, but from the restlessness that arises when conscience can no longer accept silence. She speaks about what everyone sees, yet few have the courage to say aloud.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is the cry of a woman.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is the voice of a woman who has something to say to the world.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And women know how to speak. Her voice is prophetic and free.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I see Mary as a strong, active, proactive woman. Christianity is always expressed through action. We must bear witness through our lives to what we proclaim with our words.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">When we look at Mary, we focus more on her motherhood or her purity than on her voice. We are more familiar with her gentle face than with her voice.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Yet when we open the Gospel—there she is, speaking.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Voice matters deeply, as does the spoken word. Words can open a space in which a person feels accepted, safe, and free. But words can also do the opposite: they can close that space, wound, humiliate, or make someone afraid to speak again.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">God creates the world through the divine Word. Words shape reality. They carry something creative within them.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To deprive someone of their voice is to make them invisible.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary was a young woman from a small village. She had to live with circumstances she could not fully understand. She gave birth to a child under difficult conditions. Later, she watched her son suffer, unable to fully comprehend or control what was happening.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She remained beneath the cross when everyone else fled.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Perhaps we sometimes think more about her obedience than about her courage and determination.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">But:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She stands.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She remembers.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She endures.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She feels.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary does not know everything, yet she dares to say “yes.” But that “yes” requires questioning. She does not want to consent without understanding.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary listens, but:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She questions.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She speaks.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She dares.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She notices.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She rises.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What does it mean to be free when you do not know how something you have begun will end?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And more importantly: Why are we so afraid of women who, like Mary, have voices of their own?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Perhaps it is time to see Mary as one of us—not to diminish her, but to rediscover her among real people, among women and their struggles, fears, longings, uncertainties, and victories.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We have elevated Mary so much that we have taken away her voice. She has become silent—we see her only as a sacred figure.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Yet Mary is a participant in conversation, a subject in every dialogue.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Perhaps the real question is not what our relationship with Mary is, but what our relationship is, in everyday life, with a woman who has a voice, who has something to say, who carries a message.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With the woman we work with, with whom we share our lives&#8230;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Because if we take seriously the woman who speaks in the Gospel, we can no longer so easily describe women as those who should simply be good, obedient, and silent.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary is not merely a woman to whom we pray.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary is a woman who speaks.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Then we come to Cana in Galilee (John 2:3). There, Mary notices a problem that others may have overlooked:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“They have no wine.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This simple sentence tells us a great deal about Mary. She is present, engaged in what is happening, and attentive to the circumstances around her. She does not turn away from a problem. She does not pretend it does not exist. She recognizes someone&#8217;s need and responds to it.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Sometimes we say, “If you have a problem, pray.” And indeed, we should pray. But Mary reminds us that faith is not passivity. Prayer is not an excuse for failing to do what is within our power.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Faith does not call us to close our eyes to reality and simply wait for God to resolve everything.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We must free ourselves from this superficial piety that carries no sense of responsibility.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary shows us that being devout does not mean being silent, voiceless, invisible, or indifferent to what happens around us.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She claims her space with one simple sentence:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“They have no wine.” (John 2:3)</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She does not deliver a sermon. She does not explain why it happened. She does not condemn anyone. She simply recognizes a need and brings it before Jesus.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Then comes her second important statement:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Here we see something even deeper. Mary acts, but she does not take God&#8217;s place. She recognizes the problem, brings it to Jesus, and then directs others toward him.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She does not say, “Do what I tell you.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She does not place herself above the word of Jesus.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Instead, she says:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Do whatever he tells you.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is true cooperation with God.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary teaches us that we can be active yet humble; proactive yet obedient; engaged without attempting to control God.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Perhaps most people prefer a silent Mary because that is easier. Remaining silent requires no intellectual effort. I do not expose myself to the risk of being judged or seen as different. But this has nothing to do with being an active Christian.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Our task is to see what is happening, recognize a person in need, speak up, do what we can, and then listen to God&#8217;s word.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cooperating with God does not mean that we lead God. It means recognizing where God is at work and being ready to do what God asks of us.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary at Cana therefore stands between two statements:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“They have no wine.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">—&nbsp;I see reality.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Do whatever he tells you.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">—&nbsp;I trust God and am ready to cooperate with God&#8217;s plan.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Between these two statements lies mature faith: seeing a need, speaking about it, praying, and acting—while always remaining guided by God&#8217;s word.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mary shows us something else that is profoundly important: being devout does not mean ceasing to think.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A person can become complicit in evil precisely when they stop thinking and judging independently.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hannah Arendt, reflecting on the trial of Adolf Eichmann, examined how people can participate in terrible acts when they hide behind the statement: “I was only following orders.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Arendt connected this problem to what she called thoughtlessness—the absence of thinking, or the inability or unwillingness to exercise independent judgment.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Therefore, woman, do not believe that having faith means remaining silent.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ask questions.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Speak.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Bear witness.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Recognize the need.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Say what you see.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Warn others!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Fight!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Do not give up!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Speak.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Speak.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Speak.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And then, like Mary, when God speaks, have the courage to say:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Let it be to me according to your word.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>References</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The Bible: Old and New Testaments. Zagreb: Kršćanska sadašnjost, 1980.</li>



<li>Halík, Tomáš. Strpljenje s Bogom: Pripovijest o Zakeju danas [Patience with God: The Story of Zacchaeus Today]. Translated from German by Jozo Džambo. Sarajevo: FMC Svjetlo riječi, 2015, p. 24.</li>



<li>Arendt, Hannah. Eichmann u Jeruzalemu: Izvještaj o banalnosti zla [Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil]. Zagreb: Naklada Jesenski i Turk, 2020, pp. 129–131.</li>
</ul>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/why-are-we-afraid-of-marys-voice/">Why Are We Afraid of Mary&#8217;s Voice?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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		<title>ERMA Human Rights Award for Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak</title>
		<link>https://ferschool.org/en/erma-human-rights-award-for-prof-dr-zilka-spahic-siljak/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[FERSkola]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:53:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ferschool.org/?p=36551</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>“Knowledge matters when we translate it into practice,” said Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak, Director of the TPO Foundation, on October 3, 2026, at the presentation of the ERMA Award for contribution to human rights, democracy, and peacebuilding. The recognition holds special significance for her, as she herself graduated from the ERMA programme in 2001, has been [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/erma-human-rights-award-for-prof-dr-zilka-spahic-siljak/">ERMA Human Rights Award for Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>“Knowledge matters when we translate it into practice,”</strong> said Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak, Director of the TPO Foundation, on October 3, 2026, at the presentation of the ERMA Award for contribution to human rights, democracy, and peacebuilding. The recognition holds special significance for her, as she herself graduated from the ERMA programme in 2001, has been teaching in the programme for several years, and today addressed a new generation of students as an award laureate.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Addressing this year’s generation of graduates, she reflected on completing her own studies in 2001 and on the belief that earning a degree also meant finding answers. The experience that followed, however, taught her something different: “A diploma does not give you the answers. It helps you ask better questions.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="450" data-id="36547" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Rektorar.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-36547" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Rektorar.jpg 800w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Rektorar-300x169.jpg 300w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Rektorar-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="796" height="600" data-id="36548" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Zilka-i-Mariana.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-36548" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Zilka-i-Mariana.jpg 796w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Zilka-i-Mariana-300x226.jpg 300w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Zilka-i-Mariana-767x578.jpg 767w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Zilka-i-Mariana-384x290.jpg 384w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px" /></figure>
</figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The journey that began with the ERMA programme took her through academia and civil society, work on gender equality, peacebuilding, interreligious dialogue, and education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region, and internationally. Throughout all those years, she emphasized, one conviction has remained unchanged: knowledge matters only when we translate it into practice. Human rights, dignity, equality, and peace remain only powerful words unless they become part of our institutions, classrooms, communities, and everyday relationships.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She spoke in particular about the slowness of institutions and their tendency to postpone change until some imagined “right moment.” Yet the experience of social engagement shows that such an ideal moment rarely arrives on its own. Sometimes, our task is to create it – to speak when silence is easier, to question what is accepted as normal, and to cross boundaries that others tell us should remain closed.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Creating such spaces is especially important in divided societies. It means bringing to the same table people who believe they have nothing to say to one another. Some of the most important processes in her own work, Spahić Šiljak emphasized, began precisely through such encounters.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Democracy and peace are not abstract ideas – they begin with encounters. They begin when we sit with people who are different from us, listen to them seriously, disagree without turning the other person into an enemy, and have the courage to question not only others, but also ourselves.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">At the end of her address, she highlighted three messages for the new generation of ERMA graduates: to remain intellectually restless and curious, not to confuse cynicism with intelligence, and to create space for others through their work.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She also reminded the audience that leadership does not always mean being the most visible person in the room. Sometimes leadership means creating a space in which someone else discovers that they have a voice.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">She concluded her address with a message that also captures twenty-five years of experience since completing the ERMA programme:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>“Use your knowledge. Protect your curiosity. Cross boundaries. Create space for others. And keep enough humour to survive the process,”</strong> concluded Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/erma-human-rights-award-for-prof-dr-zilka-spahic-siljak/">ERMA Human Rights Award for Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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		<title>When Human Words Are Presented as God’s Will: How to Recognize Spiritual Abuse?</title>
		<link>https://ferschool.org/en/when-human-words-are-presented-as-gods-will-how-to-recognize-spiritual-abuse/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[FERSkola]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:28:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MULTIMEDIA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ferschool.org/?p=36544</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The most dangerous form of religious authority emerges when a person no longer speaks in their own name, but claims to speak in the name of God. It was precisely this boundary between faith and the abuse of power that Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak addressed at a seminar organized by Bahar, on September 26, 2026. focusing on spiritual abuse from the perspective of Islamic feminist hermeneutics.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/when-human-words-are-presented-as-gods-will-how-to-recognize-spiritual-abuse/">When Human Words Are Presented as God’s Will: How to Recognize Spiritual Abuse?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>What happens when someone no longer presents a demand as their own opinion, but as God’s command? And where does legitimate religious authority end and its abuse begin?</strong> These questions were at the heart of Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak’s lecture on spiritual abuse, held as part of a seminar organized by Bahar.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Spiritual abuse was defined as the misuse of religious authority, sacred texts, religious norms, rituals, or relationships of trust in order to control, intimidate, shame, subordinate, or restrict another person’s moral and spiritual autonomy. One of the key messages of the lecture was that the problem is not religion itself. On the contrary, for people experiencing violence, faith can be a source of strength, meaning, hope, resistance, and healing. The problem begins when religious interpretation becomes a tool for legitimizing unequal relations of power.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Duhovno nasilje kroz prizmu islama - dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak" width="1170" height="658" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9DNMPW3s71M?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="480" height="600" data-id="36542" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bahar-3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-36542" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bahar-3.jpg 480w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bahar-3-240x300.jpg 240w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="480" height="600" data-id="36541" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bahar-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-36541" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bahar-2.jpg 480w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bahar-2-240x300.jpg 240w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /></figure>
</figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Spiritual abuse therefore cannot be reduced simply to the question of incorrect interpretations of sacred texts. At its core is the question of power: who has the right to speak, who interprets, whose voice is considered authoritative, and what happens when a human interpretation is presented as unquestionable divine will.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The difference is simple, yet crucial. In an authoritarian relationship, someone may say: <em>“I want you to obey me.”</em> In a spiritually abusive relationship, the same message may be reformulated as: <em>“God wants you to obey me.”</em></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With this shift in language comes a shift in power. A human demand is no longer presented as a personal position, interest, family norm, or social expectation, but as a demand coming from God. In this way, resisting a person can be portrayed as disobedience to God, while questioning authority can be framed as a moral or religious transgression. This erasure of the boundary between divine authority and human interpretation is one of the central epistemological problems of spiritual abuse.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Islamic feminist hermeneutics insists on maintaining this distinction clearly: God is not the same as our understanding of God, sacred text is not the same as its interpretation, and religion is not the same as the social relations of power established in its name. Such an approach also requires a serious re-examination of authority. No individual, regardless of education, position, religious knowledge, or reputation within a community, has the right to present their own interpretation as the only possible one and equate it with God’s will.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Particularly troubling are situations in which concepts such as obedience, patience, sacrifice, shame, honor, or family duty are used to keep a person in a humiliating or abusive relationship. Religious language can then become a means through which violence is concealed, normalized, or even presented as a moral obligation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For this reason, spiritual abuse is not only a theological issue. It is also a question of dignity, freedom of conscience, interpretive authority, and responsibility toward another human being.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">One of the central messages of the lecture can be summarized as follows:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is not enough to ask what a religious text says. We must also ask who is interpreting it, from what position of power, in whose interest, and what consequences that interpretation produces in the lives of others. It is precisely here that Islamic feminist hermeneutics offers an important corrective: it does not reject faith because of its misuse, but draws on the ethical foundations of Islam itself to challenge domination, monopolies over interpretation, and every attempt to sacralize human power. In this way, religion can once again become a space of liberation, responsibility, and dignity, rather than an instrument of control.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/when-human-words-are-presented-as-gods-will-how-to-recognize-spiritual-abuse/">When Human Words Are Presented as God’s Will: How to Recognize Spiritual Abuse?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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		<title>FEMINISM AND RELIGION: CALL FOR ENROLLMENT • ONLINE ACADEMIC PROGRAM 2026/2027</title>
		<link>https://ferschool.org/en/feminism-and-religion-call-for-enrollment-online-academic-program-2026-2027/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[FERSkola]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 10:17:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ANNOUNCEMENTS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ferschool.org/?p=36498</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The goal is to critically dismantle the roots of gender stereotypes and foster the development of egalitarian gender models grounded in both academic research and religious teachings. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/feminism-and-religion-call-for-enrollment-online-academic-program-2026-2027/">FEMINISM AND RELIGION: CALL FOR ENROLLMENT • ONLINE ACADEMIC PROGRAM 2026/2027</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>PROGRAM FOCUS</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The goal is to critically dismantle the roots of gender stereotypes and foster the development of egalitarian gender models grounded in both academic research and religious teachings. Through feminist anthropology, historical critique, hermeneutics of suspicion, and gender-sensitive linguistics, participants will engage with classical and contemporary texts in philosophy, theology, history, sociology, and related disciplines.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>OPEN TO ALL&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Students and individuals with higher education from all fields.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>FALL&nbsp;SEMESTER</strong>&nbsp; 12&nbsp;October 2025 – 21 January&nbsp;2027&nbsp; •&nbsp; Four courses offered in English&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><strong>COURSE</strong>&nbsp;<br><em>(click on course for more info)</em></td><td><strong>DAY</strong>&nbsp;</td><td><strong>TIME</strong>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FEMINIST-THEOLOGY.pdf" data-type="link" data-id="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/God-Sex-and-Gender-FER-Web.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>FEMINIST THEOLOGY &#8211; God, Sex and gender</strong></a></td><td>Monday&nbsp;</td><td>18:30–20:00&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/GEN-REL-PEACE-FER-Web-.pdf" data-type="link" data-id="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/GEN-REL-PEACE-FER-Web-.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>GENDER, RELIGION AND PEACEBUILDING</strong></a></td><td>Tuesday&nbsp;</td><td>18:30–20:00&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/GENDER-RELIGION-AND-GENDER-BASED-VIOLENCE-.pdf" data-type="link" data-id="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Who-Killed-God-in-her-GBV-FER-Web.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>GENDER, RELIGION AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE &#8211; Who Killed God in Her?</strong></a></td><td>Wednesday&nbsp;</td><td>18:30–20:00&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Gender-Religion-Media-and-AI-FER-web.pdf" data-type="link" data-id="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Gender-Religion-Media-and-AI-FER-web.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>GENDER, RELIGION, MEDIA AND AI</strong></a></td><td>Thursday&nbsp;</td><td>18:30–20:00&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>LEARNING FORMAT &amp; CERTIFICATION</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Lectures and weekly readings will be available to participants on the Moodle platform.&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Participants who regularly attend and complete a final academic paper will receive 4 ECTS credits per course and a certificate from the University of Sarajevo listing the course content.</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>APPLICATION&nbsp;DEADLINE&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>01&nbsp;October 2026&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Notification of admission:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>06 October 2026&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Course fees (English):&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>FREE OF CHARGE&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-custom-css has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background has-background wp-custom-css-e754c9c8"><strong>APPLICATION FORM:&nbsp;</strong><br><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdsstidLoaq6ixfmifEeVv3HR7ZbF-wZkdU-TmC4e4AezeLAw/viewform?usp=preview" data-type="link" data-id="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdsstidLoaq6ixfmifEeVv3HR7ZbF-wZkdU-TmC4e4AezeLAw/viewform?usp=preview" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Online application form&nbsp;</a></h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>MORE INFORMATION</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">FER School website: https://ferschool.org/en/home/&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>E-mail: ferskola.tpo@gmail.com</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>ORGANIZED BY</strong>&nbsp;</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1020" height="111" src="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/call-footer.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-36478" style="aspect-ratio:9.18918918918919;width:680px;height:auto" srcset="https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/call-footer.webp 1020w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/call-footer-763x83.webp 763w, https://ferschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/call-footer-300x33.webp 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px" /></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/feminism-and-religion-call-for-enrollment-online-academic-program-2026-2027/">FEMINISM AND RELIGION: CALL FOR ENROLLMENT • ONLINE ACADEMIC PROGRAM 2026/2027</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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		<title>Gender, Religion and Politics – Summer School Leibnitz</title>
		<link>https://ferschool.org/en/gender-religion-and-politics-summer-school-leibnitz/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[FERSkola]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:01:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ferschool.org/?p=36468</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Gender is one of the principal terrains upon which religious authority, ethnonational belonging and political power are negotiated, but gender controversies are rarely only about gender. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/gender-religion-and-politics-summer-school-leibnitz/">Gender, Religion and Politics – Summer School Leibnitz</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Gender is one of the principal terrains upon which religious authority, ethnonational belonging and political power are negotiated, but gender controversies are rarely only about gender. Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak and Dr. Jadranka Rebeka Anić participated in the Summer School <strong>“Religion and Politics,”</strong> held in Leibnitz, Austria, from July 20 to 23, 2026. The program brought together scholars, researchers and participants interested in the complex intersections of religion, politics, identity and social change in contemporary European societies.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In her lecture, Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak focused on the entanglement of gender, religion and politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina, arguing that gender is one of the principal terrains upon which religious authority, ethnonational belonging and political power are negotiated. As she emphasized, gender controversies are rarely only about gender. They often become symbolic struggles over the family, morality, national identity, collective memory, religious belonging and the future of society. Prof. Spahić Šiljak explained that gender, religion and politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot be adequately understood as three separate domains that occasionally influence one another. Rather, they are historically and institutionally intertwined. Political power is frequently legitimized through religious and ethnonational narratives, while religious authority is often strengthened through its proximity to national identity and political institutions. Gender norms, in this context, provide a powerful language through which ideas about family, collective survival, morality, citizenship and national belonging are expressed and defended. She highlighted that Bosnia and Herzegovina demonstrates the destructive consequences of entangling religion, nationalism and patriarchal power. These entanglements often reinforce exclusionary politics, limit women’s rights and freedoms, and reduce complex social questions to identity-based conflicts. At the same time, Prof. Spahić Šiljak stressed that other forms of entanglement are possible and necessary: between faith and justice, feminism and peacebuilding, memory and responsibility, religious belonging and democratic freedom, as well as between difference and solidarity.</p>



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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dr. Jadranka Rebeka Anić spoke about the development and impact of anti-gender movements in Croatia. She analyzed how anti-gender narratives have gained visibility through political mobilization, religious rhetoric, media campaigns and civil society initiatives that present gender equality, feminism and LGBTQ+ rights as threats to the family, children, national identity and religious tradition. In her presentation, Dr. Anić emphasized that anti-gender discourse often functions by producing moral panic and framing gender as an imported ideology, rather than recognizing gender equality as a democratic and human rights issue. She also pointed to the ways in which anti-gender actors in Croatia have mobilized around education, reproductive rights, sexual education, the Istanbul Convention and public debates on family and marriage. These campaigns, she noted, are not isolated events, but part of broader transnational anti-gender politics present across Europe. At the same time, Dr. Anić underlined the importance of feminist theology, critical scholarship, interreligious dialogue and civic education in responding to such narratives with knowledge, ethical responsibility and solidarity.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The participation of Prof. Spahić Šiljak and Dr. Anić contributed to a deeper understanding of how gender debates in Southeast Europe reveal broader struggles over democracy, religion, identity and social justice. Their lectures showed that the intersections of gender, religion and politics are not marginal issues, but central to understanding contemporary challenges faced by societies in the Balkans and beyond.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/gender-religion-and-politics-summer-school-leibnitz/">Gender, Religion and Politics – Summer School Leibnitz</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ferschool.org/en/home">FER ŠKOLA</a>.</p>
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