Clothing, culture and religion Flashcards
Islamic veiling and consumption norms
Islamic veiling and consumption norms play a significant role in shaping perceptions of women’s clothing choices. Both western and Muslim women wearing different clothing styles often perceive each other as repressed or as expression of male-dominated patriarchal culture. Clothing and symbols embody cultural understandings of social spaces, meanings, and power relations. The fashion industry recognizes this and uses religious and political signs to convey messages. In recent years, debates have arisen about what people should wear, especially in liberal democracies where self-expression is essential. On such debate is velling in France, where a 2004 law banned the wearing of religious symbols in public schools to prevent a principle associated with political neutrality. This law also banned all face coverings in public places, including the niqab and burqa. Ethical considerations and crucial when analyzing situations, as they allow for the exploration of different political and cultural overtones in communication.
The arguments on this issue:
In 1994, French education minister Francois Bayrou argued that’s schools are the space were children learn to love together and respect one another. He stressed the neutrality of public service of education, detached from religious signs, and that school is space where people become citizens, learning how to interact with each other. However, the impact of this law has been extremely disproportionate, with Muslims affected more than Christians. There are arguments in favor of the veil, such as the symbolism of safety, status and respect for Muslim women, the freedom to wear the hijab and the symbolic representation of female empowerment through the wearing of the hijab.
Philosopher Cecile Laborde argues that young Islamic women face the risk of dual domination, as they may be repressed externally by the state and internally within their families and communities. She suggests that schools should work within schools to give women a voice and give them the tools to challenge the male-dominated community in which they live. The institutional layer is crucial in addressing veiling practices in countries like Saudi Arabia or Iran. Nondomestication theories respect individuals’ deep attachments but fear their potential disempowering, oppressive, and dominating characteristics.
CASE STUDY: Sikh community
CASE STUDY: In Ireland, a man from the Sikh community, which began in Hinduism but now constitutes a distinct doctrine practiced in India and Pakistan, appealed to the courts. The court decided to turn to the Garda Reserve itself. The turban, part of the Sikh community since the 15th century, was seen as an expression of radical commitment. The debate raises questions about dress codes’ role in promoting diversity and equality. The GARDA won the case, nut in 2021, Ravinder Singh Oberoi was allowed to enter the reserve and wear a turban. To find a compromise between the GARDA uniform and the Sikh community, a turban with the colors of the uniform and the symbol of the reserve was instituted. This vase highlights the importance of understanding cultural differenced and addressing discrimination in dress codes.
The intercultural approach: the multicultural approach aims to protect diversity and ethnic groups, whole the intercultural approach seeks a definition of justice. In the France case, justice eliminates differenced to promote equality, while in the Irish case, it recognizes differenced and acknowledge them as normal. The intercultural approach seeks a balance between these conceptions through interaction and mutual learning, focusing on reasonable accommodation and embracing diversity. It acknowledges that all people are different and aims to accept and embrace diversity.
CASE STUDY: HALIMA ADEM
Halima Adem, born in refugee camp in Kenya, became a famous for a wearing a hijab and participating in pageants. She was attracted to various brands and became a model, allowing companies to incorporate cover-ups into their collections. Initially, this strategy worked, but later led to many young Muslim women participating with the same success. In 2020, Halima Aden left the fashion industry after realizing that she was being exploited for business profit. She stressed that it is never too late to restore boundaries and that institutional treatment can overstep its limits and become ethically questionable. In 2020, Halima is back, urging people to accept their differences and not conform. She believes that everyone was born to stand out, and that the world will meet them where they stand.
