Thesis Defense: Women and northern paganism: Feminine aspect and roles of women in...

In the coming weeks, UW master's students will defend their theses. The subjects are varied and the students are from both master's programs, Coastal Marine Management and Coastal Communities and Regional Development. The defenses are accessible to everyone through zoom links but they are also open to the public, at the University Centre of the Westfjords in Ísafjörður.

Student: Rozálie Rašovská
Date & time: September 16th at 9:30
Thesis title: Women and Northern Paganism: Feminine Aspect and Roles of Women in Contemporary Pagan Organization Ásatrú in Iceland
Program: Coastal Communities and Regional Development
Zoom link: https://eu01web.zoom.us/j/63043654968

Abstract: Ásatrú is a contemporary paganism organization based in Iceland established in 1972. This rapidly growing religious phenomenon is an inseparable part of Icelandic culture, combining pre-Christian beliefs with modern concepts such as environmental stewardship. In the last thirty years, research focused on Ásatrú has explored the history behind this Nordic paganism, including rituals and ceremonies held by Ásatrú members. This religion has influenced other pagan organizations emerging mainly in North and Central Europe, such as the Czech pagan organization, The Brotherhood of Wolves, and others. Building upon literature investigating Ásatrú, this thesis brings new insight by discussing it from the perspective of women, who have been somewhat overlooked by researchers in the past. The research question is: “What are the feminine aspects of contemporary paganism Ásatrú in Iceland?” The aims of this thesis include exploring why women have chosen Ásatrú as their spiritual path, how they are involved in leadership positions, and how they perceive gender differences in Ásatrú. This thesis provides a brief introduction to Norse Mythology, the backbone of northern paganism, and discusses some feminine aspects of it. Further, it reviews the literature about Ásatrú and discusses feminist theology. The methodology used for this project is based on participant observation and qualitative research, including semi-structured interviews with ten women and five men who are members of Ásatrú in Iceland. The results show the various reasons why women have chosen Ásatrú faith, the importance of the sense of empowerment that women gain from Ásatrú, the value of community, and that gender equality is a strong argument for most members of Ásatrú. This study also found that crucial feminine aspects include goddesses Freyja and the Mother Earth phenomenon, which play a pivotal role in Ásatrú. These findings can foster gender-based discussions not only in Old Norse Mythology but also in other religions, often interpreted from a male perspective.

Defense schedule for this defense season: