A qualitative exploration of young female Muslims’ perspectives of abortion and belonging following the 2018 Irish Abortion Referendum
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12802419 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yumna Agha (University College Dublin, corresponding author), Keith Gaynor (0000-0003-2628-7858, University College Dublin) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 657-666 |
| Publication date | 2024-01-22 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Sexuality Research and Social Policy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1553-6610 • E-ISSN: 1868-9884 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s13178-023-00932-x |
| OpenAlex | W4391109835 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 32 |
Introduction In 2018, Ireland conducted a referendum, ultimately supporting the legalisation of abortion. The views of religious minority groups can go unheard ‘by an insensitive majority’ in national cultural debates. This study explores female Muslim Irish university students’ perspectives on abortion and the impact of the 2018 Irish abortion debate on their sense of belonging within Ireland. Methods Ten female Muslim university students completed semi-structured interviews. The interview comprised seven open-ended questions examining perspectives on abortion and a sense of national belonging. A thematic analysis was carried out on the data. Results Six major themes emerged: (1) specific circumstances, (2) Islam, (3) family, (4) misuse of new laws, (5) stable sense of national belonging, (6) consequences of historical abortion legislation. Participants were largely supportive of the legal changes. Participants indicated that their sense of national belonging might have been affected if their religious beliefs had conflicted with the referendum outcome. Conclusions Participants largely supported the legalisation of abortion in Ireland, provided that the new laws aligned with their Islamic beliefs. The research indicated the referendum did not affect young Muslim women’s sense of belonging in Ireland. Policy Implications Many national debates on social issues focus on winning majority support. This research highlighted the importance of canvasing and reflecting on the perspectives of people from minorities in order to reinforce a sense of larger political belonging
Abortion · Abortion law · Family planning · Focus group · Geography · Irish · Islam · Legislation · Political science · Politics · Population · Pregnancy · Qualitative research · Referendum · Social science · Sociology · Thematic analysis · Demography · Gender Studies · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Law · Migration, Health and Trauma · Reproductive Health and Contraception
Eco-Sufficiency and Global Justice
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National disidentification and minority identity
The sexual politics of citizenship and reproductive rights in Ireland
Muslim Dilemmas in the Republic of Ireland
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British Muslim Political Participation
Voice and Equality
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Religious Individualism and Moral Progressivism
Islam and Muslims in the Republic of Ireland
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The Differential Impact of Religious Preference and Church Attendance on Attitudes toward Abortion
Social and Political Attitudes among Religious Groups
Catholic/Protestant Trends on Abortion
Religious Belief and Attitude Constraint
The Abortion Controversy
Religious Identity and Family Ideologies in the Transition to Adulthood
Attitudes toward Abortion among the Muslim Minority and Non-Muslim Majority in Cross-National Perspective
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |