Religion and law in contemporary Ghana

Employing a legal pluralist framework, this thesis examines the complex interrelationships between religion and law in contemporary Ghana, a professedly secular state characterised by high levels of religiousity. It aims to explore legal, cultural and moral tensions created by overlapping loci of authority (state actors, traditional leaders and religious functionaries). It contends that religion can function as an impediment to Ghana’s secularity and also serve as an integral tool for realising the state’s legal ideals and meeting international human rights standards. Using three case studies – legal tensions, child witchcraft accusations and same-sex partnerships – the thesis illustrates the ways that the entangled and complicated relationships between religion and law compound Ghana’s secular orientation. It suggests that legal pluralism is not a mere analytical framework for describing tensions, but ought to be seen as part of the solution. The thesis contributes to advancing knowledge in the area of the interrelationships between religion and law in contemporary Ghanaian public domain.