Abdul Fatah, Farhana Binti (2019) Discourses of the non-veiled: exploring discursive identity constructions among Malaysian Muslim women who do not veil. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The veil – most commonly known as hijab – is considered as the primary visible marker of a Muslim woman’s religious identity and symbol of piety. Thus, its absence not only brings about feelings of conflict for the non-wearer (Izharuddin, 2018), but moreover invites unfair characterisation of their morals and values, as well as discrimination (Fadil, 2011; Othman, 2006; Wagner, Sen, Permanadeli, & Howarth, 2012). In light of this, this study seeks to examine the ways Muslim women construct their identities (with particular focus on religious identity) as women who do not wear the veil. It also investigates the challenges these women face as consequence of their non-veiling.

Adopting a social constructionist paradigm, this study draws on almost 20 hours of in-depth interviews with non-veiled Muslim women in Malaysia as its primary data. It brings together interdisciplinary perspectives to analyse identity, by drawing upon Bucholtz and Hall's (2005) sociolinguistic principles for identity, Baxter's (2003) Feminist Poststructuralist Discourse Analysis (FPDA), and intersectionality. To supplement the analysis of the interview data, this study scrutinises a range of selected materials from contemporary media in Malaysia to explore Muslim women’s representation with regards to the veil and non-veiling.

Findings reveal that in the absence of the hijab, the women who participated in this study constructed themselves as being in alignment, or in contrast with, and/or in ambivalence to their respective ideal of a Muslim woman. In talking about their lives and experiences as non-veiled Muslim women, they ‘talk into being’ their religious and gender identities, which include (but are not limited to) ethnic and institutional identities. As the women live in Muslim-majority Malaysia that has been experiencing Islamisation since the past four decades, they also divulge stories of personal struggle and challenges they face in various domains of life such as in the family, institutions, and communities. Keywords: language, discourse, identity, religion, gender, Muslim women, hijab

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GT Manners and customs H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Hijab (Islamic clothing) -- Psychological aspects, Veils -- Social aspects -- Malaysia, Hijab (Islamic clothing), Women in Islam -- Malaysia, Women -- Malaysia -- Social conditions
Official Date:	June 2019
Dates:	Date Event June 2019 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Centre for Applied Linguistics
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Schnurr, Stephanie, 1975- ; Khursheed, Wadia
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	xii, 287 leaves ; illustrations
Language:	eng

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