Sharma, Sonya;
(2025)
A lateral exploration of faith, intimacy and care among adult sisters.
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
10.1108/ijssp-09-2024-0422.
(In press).
Preview |
Text
Sharma_A lateral exploration of faith, intimacy and care among adult sisters_AAM.pdf Download (222kB) | Preview |
Abstract
PURPOSE: Sociologists of religion continue to prioritise parent–child socialisation in research on families and religion. In doing so, other kinds of family relationships that also influence faith practices can go unnoticed. I therefore propose a lateral reading of religion and intimate ties between siblings, specifically adult sisters. Research on this group is limited with much of sibling research focusing on younger cohorts. Explorations of faith and intimacy among sisters are also scant. DESING/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Drawing on 23 biographical interviews with adult women who were based in the UK, identified as sisters, in a sister relationship and as a practicing Muslim or Christian, I examine intersections of faith and intimacy. I employ a feminist standpoint and lived religion approach along with conceptualisations of practices of intimacy from family sociologists to analyse adult sister experiences. FINDINGS: Overlapping themes of religion and intimacy between sisters are discussed which reveal faith as a source of intimate connection, sisters as everyday sources of support and care, religion as part of the everyday fabric of sister relations and that sisters’ differing religious identities can offer a lens onto society’s changing relationship to religion. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: In offering a lateral vantage point, I foreground the co-constitutive shaping of faith and intimacy among adult sisters which contributes to sociological knowledge on families and religion. Consideration of religion and intimacy among adult sister relationships also raises important points for social policy on care especially in mid and late adulthood.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | A lateral exploration of faith, intimacy and care among adult sisters |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1108/ijssp-09-2024-0422 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1108/ijssp-09-2024-0422 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Adult sisters, Care, Faith, Family, Feminist, Intimacy, Lateral, Mid and late adulthood, Lived religion, Siblings |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Social Research Institute |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10208008 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
