Hijab and the Media
Full Title : Hijab and the Media: Consumption, Representation and Identity
Status : Unfunded
Start Date : August 2016
Completion Date : April 2017
Principle Investigators : Siti Mazidah Hj Mohamad and Khairunnisa Haji Ibrahim
Brief Outline
Veiling is an important socio-cultural and political symbol and practice for Muslim women, whether they veil themselves or not. The hijab, as the piece of cloth that is used in veiling is called, has become an item that represents Muslim women’s identity, and the ways that the hijab is styled or even the type of hijab that women don can become a key marker of their socioeconomic status. The rise of Muslimah fashion has spurred the hijab trend, and while there have been studies elsewhere examining media representations and the hijab, there has been little focus on the issue in the Southeast Asian context. This study analyses the current trends in Bruneian veiling practices and how these practices are influenced by and reflective of socioeconomic and political issues, and their impacts on the region’s socio-cultural and religious landscapes.
Brief Objectives
- To understand the concept of hijab and hijab practices in Brunei.
- To investigate Bruneian women’s hijab consumption choices, practices and patterns.
- To investigate the influence of media on Bruneian women’s hijab choices and practices.
- To explore the relationship between individual identity, the media and hijab consumption and practices.
Significance of the research
The findings of this research will contribute to new knowledge in several ways:
- Better understanding of the significance of the hijab in the Muslim community in the Bruneian context
- Better understanding of the social, economic and cultural forces and trends that shape and are shaped by current hijab practices
- Better understanding of the role of the media in creating and changing discourses and practices related to veiling