Objective The use of multiple legal practices based on diverse normative perceptions increasingly challenges the monopoly of state law. In Europe, this issue has become especially visible in the ongoing discussions about sharia courts. However, there is only limited research about the practical implications of non-state legal orders, particularly in relation to their effects on women’s rights and gender relations. The proposed research aims to start filling this gap by investigating the non-state justice systems operating in Berlin, the city with the largest Kurdish population in Europe, and Diyarbakir, the largest Kurdish-dominated city in Turkey. An evidence-based foundation is needed if the legal order and conceptualizations of citizenship are to be fit for increasingly diverse societies. In-depth interviews and participant observation will be used to investigate when, why and how Kurdish communities in Diyarbakır and Berlin choose alternative dispute resolution over the official court procedures provided by the state. There will be a special focus on family cases to examine how gender norms and relations are affected by the use of non-state judicial processes. A historical perspective on the Diyarbakir-based ‘unofficial’ legal order will explore the non-European and non-religious roots of unofficial dispute resolution practices used within Europe. The transnational perspective will also enable an investigation of the mutual influences across non-state and state legal orders in Europe and the Middle East. This interdisciplinary project aims to fill a significant gap in the relevant socio-legal, gender, migration, political academic studies and policy debates within the European Research Area. This proposed project will be hosted by SOAS University of London (Beneficiary) in partnership with Syracuse University (SU) (Partner Organization in TC), New York. There will be additional mobility to the the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Social Anthropology. Fields of science social sciencessociologygender studiessocial sciencessociologysocial issuessocial inequalitiessocial sciencessociologyanthropologysocial anthropologysocial scienceseconomics and businesseconomicspolitical economysocial scienceslaw Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2015-GF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-GF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-GF - Global Fellowships Coordinator SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES ROYAL CHARTER Net EU contribution € 251 857,80 Address Thornhaugh street russel square WC1H OXG London United Kingdom See on map Region London Inner London — West Camden and City of London Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY United States Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Bowne hall 113 13244 1200 Syracuse ny See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 160 130,40