Beyond Borders

Romina Istratii

'Beyond Borders' is a podcast series exploring intersections of domestic violence, religion and migration in today's globalised and conflict-affected world. The series aims to provoke new thinking and questions that can inform practice and policy in responses to domestic violence and interconnected forms of violence internationally, but especially in religious, migrant and ethnic minority contexts. Each short episode features Dr Romina Istratii, Director of IDVRM, in conversation with a specialist guest speaker from across academia, domestic violence services provision and policy.

Episodes

  1. 21/05/2025

    Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, Western and Ethiopian feminisms and responses to domestic violence

    The fifth episode features Ms Selam Reta, who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Holy Trinity Theological University in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is currently pursuing a distance Master’s in Theology from Agora University based in the US. She has previously written a thesis on the tensions between Ethiopian Orthodox Christian approaches to gender equality and tensions with Western feminist understandings, and has supported our Project dldl/ድልድል with theological and linguistic expertise. In the episode, ⁠Dr Romina Istratii⁠ and Ms Reta explore together numerous topical questions, including: - Ethiopian Orthodox teachings and positions on gender equality - Tensions with western feminist understandings of and positions on gender equality - Ethiopian feminist movements and connections to indigenous worldviews and North American feminist movements - The role of theology in domestic violence responses in Ethiopia The podcast is intended for practitioners and policy makers who would like to understand better the current state of evidence and innovative research and intervention approaches to domestic violence in religious, migrant and ethnic minority communities.

    27 min

  2. 17/05/2025

    Trauma, Spiritual Abuse and Spiritual Formation

    The third episode features Dr David Wang, who is a licensed psychologist, a full-time faculty at the Fuller Theological Seminary in the US and a pastor. Dr Wang also leads a project on clergy spiritual formation funded by the Templeton Religious Trust and is co-lead of the ‘No More’ project that focuses on spiritual abuse and responses to it. In the episode, ⁠Dr Romina Istratii⁠ and Dr David Wang explore together numerous topical questions, including: What are best approaches to train clergy to become more trauma-sensitive when they support domestic violence victims or survivors? How might we understand trauma, also among clergy, and better support those who have experienced trauma, especially extreme forms of it, such as sexual violence? How might we understand spiritual abuse in religious spaces and intimate partner relationships and how can we prevent this through clergy spiritual formation approaches? Listen to find out more about: ➡️ Current definitions of trauma, including complex trauma, and latest statistics on average number of traumas per person ➡️ The relationship between personal spiritual journeys and traumatic life experiences ➡️ Definitions of spiritual abuse in Europe and North America and what makes spiritual abuse ‘spiritual’ ➡️ The role of trauma in gender formation, including intersections with masculinities ➡️ Approaches to contextualise evidence in culture-specific realities and efforts in this direction The podcast is intended for practitioners and policy makers who would like to understand better the current state of evidence and innovative research approaches on the topic of trauma and spiritual abuse to inform interventions on domestic violence and other forms of abuse.

    31 min

  3. 17/05/2025

    Pornography, Religiosity and Masculinities

    The second episode features Benjamin Kalkum, a trained theologian, development practitioner and gender expert specialising in Sub-Saharan Africa, and explores the intersection of pornography, religiosity and masculinities. This discussion, like many gender and sexuality debates, intersects religious beliefs, cultural standards and scientific evidence. In the episode, ⁠Dr Romina Istratii⁠ and ⁠Benjamin Kalkum⁠ explore together numerous topical questions, including: What do existing studies tell us about the role of faith in shaping attitudes and behaviours around pornography? Where do these studies originate, and have they sufficiently engaged with non-western faith communities? What would be appropriate pastoral responses to individuals struggling with porn addiction in religious settings? Listen to find out more about: ➡️ The prevalence of pornography use among religious and non-religious individuals ➡️ The mediating effects of religiosity and its potential to act as a protective factor ➡️ The role of shame in religious and non-religious individuals and perceptions of pornographic consumption ➡️ The secularising effect of porn ➡️ Gaps in research, particularly of evidence emerging outside of North America and Western cultural realities The podcast is intended for practitioners and policy makers who would like to understand better the current state of evidence and innovative research approaches on the topic of pornography, religion and domestic violence and how to engage clerics and faith institutions in effective responses.

    26 min

  4. 17/05/2025

    Domestic Violence in Muslim Communities, Issues of Hermeneutics and Cleric Responses on the Ground

    The first and inaugural episode of the series features Dr ⁠Mahmoud Ali Gomaa Afifi, PhD⁠, a specialist in contemporary Islamic studies, Quranic interpretation, Islamic law, Islam in the UK and Islamic feminism. Mahmoud is also a collaborator in IDVRM’s programme ‘Developing Inter-faith Approaches for Clergy Training on Domestic Violence.’ In the episode, ⁠Dr Romina Istratii⁠ and Dr ⁠Mahmoud Ali Gomaa Afifi, PhD⁠ explore together numerous topical issues, including: 📍Current approaches to domestic violence in Muslim communities in Egypt and the UK and the role of interpretative approaches 📍Strengths and limitations of Islamic feminist responses and the needs for practice-based and ethnographically driven approaches to interpretation and response 📍Imams’ understanding of verse 4:34 and their experience-based responses to domestic violence in their communities 📍Novel and practical approaches to bridging ethnographic research and methodologies with religious interpretation 📍The need for inter-faith clergy training approaches and the Institute’s own innovations and current projects in this area The podcast is intended for practitioners and policy makers who would like to understand better the current state of evidence and innovative research approaches on the topic of Islam, domestic violence and engaging clerics in effective responses.

    28 min
  5. Faith, Support, and Services in Displaced Communities

    15/04/2025

    Faith, Support, and Services in Displaced Communities

    Dr. Romina Istratii sits down with Dr. Natalia Paszkiewicz—Research Fellow at the School of Government and an expert in forced migration—on: - Domestic violence in migrant and refugee populations - Barriers to accessing services - The role of faith and cultural context in support-seeking behaviour With over 20 years of experience across research and humanitarian sectors, Dr. Paszkiewicz brings deep insight into refugee protection and policy. She’s currently working on Making Aid Work for Displaced Women, and previously managed the UKRI-funded project on religio-culturally sensitive domestic violence responses at SOAS. Her global fieldwork and applied research offer valuable lessons for creating more inclusive, effective support systems for displaced women.

    23 min
  • 5 Episodes

About

'Beyond Borders' is a podcast series exploring intersections of domestic violence, religion and migration in today's globalised and conflict-affected world. The series aims to provoke new thinking and questions that can inform practice and policy in responses to domestic violence and interconnected forms of violence internationally, but especially in religious, migrant and ethnic minority contexts. Each short episode features Dr Romina Istratii, Director of IDVRM, in conversation with a specialist guest speaker from across academia, domestic violence services provision and policy.

Information

  • Creator
    Romina Istratii
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    5
  • Show Website
    Beyond Borders