Diverse Voices in Family Law

Author: Rajnaara Akhtar
Publisher: Bristol University Press
ISBN: 9781529245325
Published In: January 2026
Format: Paperback
Jurisdiction: U.K. ? Disclaimer:
Countri(es) stated herein are used as reference only

HKD 398.00

Download Order Form

Add to Wishlist
| Add to Compare

Description
Contents

Details

Highlighting experiences and voices historically overlooked, misunderstood or forgotten, this book answers the urgent need for a more diverse and inclusive curriculum in family law in England and Wales.

The book helps readers diversify their understanding of the law and its often-unequal impact on citizens, equipping students with the vital skills and knowledge they need to be lawyers in the real world. Sectioned into three parts, the book covers key areas of family law including marriage, divorce and parenthood; dispute resolution in family law; and domestic abuse. Each chapter takes a critical legal approach to the development and application of the law, enriched by underlining key issues from a range of perspectives to demonstrate the need to recognize diverse voices.

Written by a diverse team of expert contributors, the book also includes:

Further reading lists
Helpful chapter summaries
End of chapter questions to spark discussion and reflection

Introduction – Rajnaara C. Akhtar

Part 1: Adult Relationships

1. Exposing Marriage Law: Colonial Definitions and Legacies – Zainab Batul Naqvi

2. Assimilation or Difference? Same-Sex Relationship Recognition in England and Wales – Andy Hayward

3. The Financial Realities of Getting Divorced in England and Wales – Emma Hitchings, Caroline Bryson and Gillian Douglas

4. Family Dispute Resolution: Meeting the Challenge of Diversity – Maria Federica Moscati

5. Accessing Family Justice Without Lawyers – Rachael Blakey

6. Religious Communities and Family Dispute Resolution: The Sharia Councils Debate – Rehana Parveen

Part 2: Children and Family Law

7. Legal Parenthood and Same-Sex Couples – Brian Sloan

8. Child Protection Intersectionality: Disparities in Racially Minoritised and Asylum-Seeking Backgrounds – Rachel Pimm-Smith

9. Participation of Children in Family Justice Processes – Connie Healy

Part 3: Domestic Abuse and Family Laws

10. It Can Happen to Anyone, but Not Everyone Has the Same Experience: The Need for Better Legal Responses to Domestic Abuse in the Family Justice System – Mandy Burton

11. Forced Marriage in the UK: How Intermediaries and Expert Witnesses Help Successful Prosecutions – Aisha K. Gill

12. In the Shadow of Hostile Environment and Bordering Regimes: Understanding Migrant Women’s Experiences of Domestic Abuse and Legal-Institutional Responses – Sundari Anitha

13. The Invisibilisation of Male Victims in the Family and Criminal Courts: Domestic Abuse, False Allegations, Parental Alienation and Honour-Based Abuse – M.M. Idriss, EA Bates and B Hine

Conclusion – Rajnaara C. Akhtar