Reimagining Gender Justice in Islamic Religious Education: A Feminist-Informed Approach to Pedagogical Transformation

Abstract

Although Islamic Religious Education (IRE) emphasizes justice and human dignity, gender inequalities may persist through instructional practices and culturally embedded assumptions about gender roles. This research examines gender relations in IRE at SMA NW Anjani, Indonesia, and formulates feminist-informed recommendations for gender-responsive learning. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, data were collected from purposively selected teachers, school administrators, and students through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. Phenomenological analysis involved bracketing, horizonalization, thematic clustering, and the development of textual and structural descriptions. The findings reveal persistent gender stereotypes in instructional representations, unequal opportunities for classroom leadership and participation, and discrepancies between educators' normative commitments to fairness and their everyday pedagogical practices. Nevertheless, participants also expressed emerging understandings of gender justice grounded in Islamic ethical principles. These findings inform a proposed pedagogical framework integrating gender-inclusive curriculum representation, equitable and dialogical instruction, critical-reflective assessment, and institutional support. The research contributes to feminist pedagogical discourse by demonstrating how gendered authority is normalized through religious educational practices and identifying context-sensitive directions for pedagogical transformation. The proposed framework offers practical guidance for developing more inclusive IRE, although its effectiveness requires further empirical evaluation.