Projects per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
Faith; Gender; Religion; Christianity; Social Justice; Higher Education; Youth; Equality and Diversity
Biography
Kristin Aune is Professor of Sociology of Religion and Director of Research Development at the Centre for Trust, Peace & Social Relations. She joined Coventry University in 2014, having taught at the University of Westminster, Ridley Hall Cambridge and the University of Derby. At Derby she became Reader in Sociology and Director of the Centre for Society, Religion and Belief. She has been a visiting fellow at Grinnell College, Iowa, Uppsala University and Deakin University.
She has undertaken pioneering work on gender, religion and feminism. Her book on single women’s marginalisation in the church led to a PhD on gender in evangelical Christianity, the findings of which were widely published. Fascinated by how women’s changing lives are affecting their faith commitments, she co-edited Women and Religion in the West: Challenging Secularization, which traces the disaffiliation of women from religious institutions, exploring differences between Christianity, Islam and alternative spirituality. Her book with Catherine Redfern, Reclaiming the F Word, was a ground-breaking study of the resurgence of feminism in Britain and attracted major public attention. Several articles about feminists’ approaches to religion and spirituality emerged. In 2015 she ran, with colleagues at Uppsala and Coimbra universities, the ‘Is secularism bad for women?’ workshops, from which a special issue of the journal Social Compass appeared in 2017. She was the Principal Investigator on the 2016-18 project 'Domestic Abuse in UK Churches: A Case Study of Cumbria' (with Dr Rebecca Barnes at the University of Leicester and Mandy Marshall, Director of the charity Restored). She is currently completing a study of how women adapt their dress when working in religious contexts, 'Modest Fashion in UK Women's Working Life', with Prof. Reina Lewis from London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London.
Religion and higher education is her other research area. Her latest book on this is 'Religion and Higher Education in Europe and North America' (ed., with Jacqueline Stevenson, Routledge 2017). From 2009-2012 she was Co-Investigator on 'Christianity and the University Experience in Contemporary England', a three-year AHRC and ESRC project with Durham and Chester universities exploring Christian students’ experiences of university and how faith shapes, and is shaped by, university life. The book Christianity and the University Experience was published as a result. From 2016-18 she co-directed, with Revd Dr Jeremy Law at Canterbury Christ Church and Prof Mathew Guest at Durham, the project Chaplains on Campus, exploring university chaplaincy in UK universities. She was Principal Investigator on the project 'Tackling religion-based hate crime on the muliti-faith campus' (funder: Office for Students, 2018-2020) and Co-Investigator on a study of religious student societies (led by the think tank Theos). From 2021 to 2023 she is co-directing the project 'Building positive relationships among university students across religion and worldview diversity', with Prof Mathew Guest at Durham University, Prof Alyssa Rockenbach (North Carolina State University) and Prof Matt Mayhew (The Ohio State University), funded by Porticus.
Vision Statement
I am motivated by how research can contribute to social justice and bring about positive social change. Specifically, I want to do research which simultaneously promotes gender equality and religious freedom, bridging the gap between religion, which can be neglected by those concerned with women’s rights, and women’s rights, which can be neglected by religious groups and those who study them. Marginalisation relating to faith, gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity, disability and nation negatively affects many people. It is the responsibility of researchers to uncover this, not only to advance social justice, but also to reshape society, policy and research.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Doctorate, King's College London
Award Date: 10 Dec 2004
MA, University of York
Award Date: 1 Jul 1999
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Network
Projects
- 7 Finished
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Tackling religion-based hate crime on the multi-faith campus
Aune, K., Cheruvallil-Contractor, S., Osmond, J. & Weller, P.
1/04/18 → 31/03/20
Project: Research
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Assessing the nature and extent of domestic abuse in UK churches in order to equip them to respond effectively
1/11/16 → 31/12/17
Project: Research
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Modest Dress at Work as Lived Religion: Women’s Dress in Religious Work Contexts in Saudi Arabia and the UK
Aune, K., Lewis, R. & Molokotos-Liederman, L., 15 Jun 2022, (Accepted/In press) In: Sociology of Religion. (In-Press), p. (In-Press)Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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University Chaplaincy as Relational Presence: Navigating understandings of good and effective chaplaincy in UK universities
Aune, K., Peacock, L., Guest, M. & Law, J., 23 May 2022, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of College and Character. (In-Press), p. (In-Press)Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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COVID-19 and the Chinese Christian Community in Britain: Changing Patterns of Belonging and Division
Huang, Y., Aune, K. & Guest, M., 15 Feb 2021, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Studies in World Christianity. 27, 1, p. 7-25 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure) -
Gender and domestic abuse victimisation among churchgoers in north west England: breaking the church’s gendered silence
Barnes, R. & Aune, K., 1 Jun 2021, In: Journal of Gender Based Violence. 5, 2, p. 271-288 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)28 Downloads (Pure) -
Modest Fashion in UK Women's Working Life: A report for employers, HR professionals, religious organisations, and policymakers
Aune, K., Lewis, R. & Molokotos-Liederman, L., Feb 2021, University of the Arts London/ Coventry University. 102 p.Research output: Book/Report › Other report
Open AccessFile6 Downloads (Pure)
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International Summer School: Critical Approaches to the Study of Religion and Gender
Kristin Aune (Keynote Speaker)
17 May 2017 → 21 May 2017Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Globalization and Diversity summer school
Kristin Aune (Keynote Speaker)
Jul 2017 → …Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Space for Faith?
Kristin Aune (Keynote Speaker)
Sep 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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Women, Religions & Gender Relations
Kristin Aune (Keynote Speaker)
9 Nov 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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Islam and Peaceful Relations conference
Kristin Aune (Organiser)
5 Apr 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference