The Compassionate Courtroom: Feminist Governance, Discourse, and Islam in a Bangladeshi Shalish

Increasing the number of women as jurors is only the first step toward feminist governance in the courtroom. Discursive principles of feminist governance are also necessary for gender justice. Based on a case study of an informal court (shalish) on domestic violence mediated by female jurors, an innovation of the customary all-male, informal justice system in rural Bangladesh, the article explores the proceedings of an NGO-mediated shalish to develop principles of feminist governance: envisioning context, eliciting counter narratives, and utilizing feminist interpretations of Islam. Drawing on village norms, the Qur'an, and state law, jurors linked domestic violence to meanings of masculinity and marriage to reach consensus and increase social awareness about domestic violence. In conclusion, the article encourages scholars to develop a theory of feminist governance within informal justice systems, which has peace and safety for women at its epicenter.