Fellowship

Introduction

Call for Application for Sauda Padanna Fellowship – 2025.

The Sauda Padanna Fellowship is awarded to two exceptional research papers by women scholars. It supports explicitly those currently engaged in or intending to pursue research focusing on Muslim women, Islam, and community engagement in Kerala. We invite research contributions exploring broad themes related to women, inheritance laws, divorce, and single parenting.

Know Sauda Padanna

Sauda Padanna, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 41, was a prolific leader, writer, and leading female face of the Islamic movement in Kerala. She was in the leadership of the Girls Islamic Organization from 1995 to 2005 and the Kannur district President for the Jamate Islami women’s wing. She was also a member of the Jamate Islami state council at the time of her demise. She was the key figure behind the expansion of GIO from the Islamic Colleges to the public institutions across the state in the late 90s. She was the Headmistress of Karunyaniketan Special School for Deaf while she passed away.

Themes

The discourse surrounding Islamic inheritance laws, divorce practices, and their implications for women has become a central theme in cultural and political debates in India, particularly after the ascendancy of the Hindu right wing to power. The enactment of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act in 2019, which criminalized triple Talaq, along with recent deliberations on the Uniform Civil Code, has reignited discussions on these issues of divorce and women’s rights for inheritance. Scholars from diverse areas—extending from academia to religion and the public alike—have expressed diverse views, both in support and opposition. This project, however seeks to shift the focus toward the everyday practices of divorce and inheritance and their lived experience among Muslim women and the women of
other communities. This exploration of the legal framework (both religious and secular) and its comparative analysis will provide critical insights into the complexities of Islamic laws, their practices, and the state-led law-making and regulations in India. Specifically, it will highlight the tension between laws that singularize Muslim women—such as the ‘Muslim Women Protection Act’—and those that break the community identity and universalize ‘Muslim women,’ like the proposed ‘Uniform Civil Code.’

The fellowship extends beyond the confines of legal frameworks and their associated discourses, advancing the inquiry into the multifaceted realities of single parenting among women. It seeks to examine the socio-economic, cultural, and psychological experiences of divorced mothers and their children, shedding light on the challenges they face in post-divorce life. Given that the protection of widows and orphans forms a foundational pillar of Islamic philanthropy, the fellowship will also explore the role of Muslim organizations and other charitable entities in supporting widowed/divorcee mothers. This aspect of the study will critically analyze communitarian engagements and their impact on these
women’s lives.

Furthermore, the research will address the social stigmas surrounding remarriage, particularly within the broader societal context, while investigating how Muslim women navigate, confront, or reshape these norms in their lived experiences.
Our focus broadly encompasses two themes: the law of inheritance and its practices among Muslims and other communities, and divorce practices along with their lived experiences among Muslims and other communities. We invite proposals that engage with, but are not limited to, the following areas:

Laws of inheritance in Islam and other religious/non-religious communities: Discourses and the Praxis of Lived Experiences

The inheritance practices among different religions, castes, and other communities and the place of women.
Muslim women’s inheritance rights according to Islam and their practices among Muslim families
The lack of properties of inheritance and the case of women
The engagement of the community with the women during the inheritance
The relevance of religious leadership and local community institutions in the application of inheritance laws and the protection of women’s rights
The Islamic rationality behind the law and its practical relevance and their navigations by women.
The practice of inheritance among families with only daughters.

Widowhood, Single Parenting, and Remarriage: The lived experiences of Muslims and other religious/non-religious communities

The divorce and the responsibility of children, its pragmatic Implications among the Muslim community and others
The accommodation of divorced women and orphaned children by the Muslim community, comparative analysis.
Single parenting and childcare.
The physical and psychological challenges during the divorce and single parenting
The economic, social, and cultural challenges during divorce and single parenting
The community institutional engagements during divorce and single parenting with women.
Legal and administrative challenges and support during and after divorce and single parenting
The widow and divorcee remarriage among Muslims and other communities and the childhood in the context of remarriages.
The implications of class differences and hierarchies during the divorce and the practice of inheritance

How To Apply

The application has to be sent directly to jihwomenkerala@gmail.com

Your application should consist of:

A short research proposal of 750- 1000 words. The proposal should contain the title of your research, the central theme of your paper, the scope of your research, the objectives of your study and a short insight into the methodological framework to be followed.
Curriculum Vitae that includes your academic career, publications (both academic and non-academic if any), paper presentations (if any) and research experience (if any).
One writing sample (optional)
The medium of language for both the application and the paper can be either English or
Malayalam.

Fellowship Details

The Current Fellowship will be given to one paper on each topic mentioned above.
The fellowship will be for 30,000 rupees, which will be given to both the selected papers.
The period for the submission of the paper will be three months

Important Dates

December 1 – Submissions open for Sauda Padanna Fellowship, 2025.
December 15 – Paper proposal submission deadline
December 25 – Confirmation of the fellowship selection
March 30 – Submission of the final paper

FAQs

1. Who can apply?

Any interested candidate can send their application, the selection is based on the research proposal and CV.

2. Can I apply for both the topics?

Yes, you can apply for both the topics. However, the fellowship will be awarded to only best one among them.

3. Can there be multiple authors for a single paper?

Yes, there can be multiple authors. But the fellowship remains the same.

4. Can I submit a proposal if I have limited research experience?

Yes, applications are welcome from candidates with any levels of research experience. However, the selection will be based on a clear research plan and contribution to the field.

5. When will the fellowship be awarded?

The selected applicants will be notified.

6. Will my publications in the non-academic journals, newspapers or portals be considered during application?

Yes, please make sure those publications are mentioned in the CV. This will help us assess your research and writing skills.

7. Can I submit the proposal of an ongoing research which I am currently working on?

Yes, if it contributes to our project.

8. What if I have further questions after reading FAQs?

If you have any further queries, please feel free to contact us via email.

Queries