Beauty in the Zongo: women negotiating religious co-existence in Accra’s urban area of Madina

Khamis. K. (2026)

Doctoral Thesis

This thesis is an ethnographic study of how beauty is used as an entry point for understanding religious coexistence from a gendered perspective. Taking a material and corporeal perspective, this thesis investigates beauty practices of Muslim and Christian women in a multi-religious and multi-ethnic neighbourhood called Madina Zongo.

• Beauty
• Religious
• Co-existence
• Aesthetics
• Erotic
• Physical
• Spiritual
• Veil
• Aphrodisiacs

• All authors: Khamis. K.
• Supervisor: Dijk, R.A. van; Meyer, B.; Frederiks, M.
• Co-supervisor: Ammah, R.D.
• Committee: Dekker, M.; Kaag, M.M.A.; Williams, C.L.; Cassiman, A.; Quayson, A.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: African Studies Centre, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University
• Date: 2026-06-02
• DOI: doi:10.60602/1887-4305088