Reconstruction of Kashmir and the role of Islam

This chapter looks at the lived realities of Islam in Kashmir. It looks at the Muslim women in Kashmir who struggle to cope in a post conflict environment. Conflict is known to present an unequal burden on women. This chapter examines the impact of conflict on women in Kashmir. Kashmiri Muslim women were traditionally protected and did not work outside their homes. They now have changed roles within society, wherein they are now heads of households and responsible for income generation for their families. This chapter explores the role Islam plays in their lives. It looks at the strategies these women now use to make decisions about livelihood generation. Kashmiri women now work within crafts due to their subjective preferences and limitations imposed on them due to their culture, identity and religion. This chapter explores these subjective preferences by looking closely at the lived reality of practised Islam in post conflict Kashmir. The research is based on fieldwork conducted over a period of nine years in Kashmir with a craftswomen’s group