Reading, Feminism, and Spirituality ─ Troubling the Waves

Reading, Feminism and Spirituality tackles the often tricky relationship between feminism and religion. Through wide-ranging analysis, Dawn Llewellyn explores the generational and secular meanings of the feminist "wave" metaphor, highlighting the disconnections it creates between feminist cohorts, and feminist studies and religious feminisms. Drawing on in-depth qualitative research, she uses women's spiritual reading practices to uncover new commonalities between second and third wave, and sacred and secular, experiences. Her lively approach highlights the importance of reading cultures in feminist studies, and connects women's voices across feminist generations, literary practices, and religion, to ultimately trouble the waves.

Dawn Llewellyn is Senior Lecturer in Christian Studies in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Chester, UK. She edited Religion, Equalities and Inequalities (with Sonya Sharma), Reading Spiritualities (with Deborah Sawyer), and contributed to Feminist Theology and Feminist Spiritualities: The Next Generation. Her current research examines Christianity, motherhood, and voluntary childlessness.