Darina Al Aroud

That’s a Wrap: Unveiling the Politicization and Sexualization of the Hijab

Introduction

That’s a wrap: unveiling the politicization and sexualization of the hijab. Explores how Orientalist narratives and imperialism politicize and sexualize the hijab, examining its social and legal context, including bans and enforcement in Arab societies.

Abstract

This paper investigates the pervasive influence of Orientalist narratives on the perception of the Arab world, focusing on the hijab as a symbol. The argument posits that imperialism and subsequent Orientalist thought symbolically transformed the hijab, leading to its politicization and sexualization. The research investigates two significant consequences of imperialism and Orientalism. The first focus examines how Orientalism influences Western perspectives of Arab societies, resulting in laws like hijab bans. The second focus delves into Arab states' reactions to imperialism, culminating in a rejection of Western values and subsequent policies, including hijab enforcement. This research explores the epistemology of Orientalism and the effects of Imperialism and subsequent de-colonization movements on the hijab in a social and legal context, addressing the rationale of hijab bans and enforcement. This research examines the way the hijab has transformed and gained new meaning, going beyond a discussion of personal choice and multi-culturalism, instead situating the veil within the context of a political climate that often exploits women’s bodies for personal gains.

Review

This paper, "That’s a Wrap: Unveiling the Politicization and Sexualization of the Hijab," proposes an ambitious and timely investigation into the complex interplay between Orientalist narratives, imperialism, and the perception of the hijab. The central thesis argues that Orientalist thought, a legacy of imperialism, has symbolically transformed the hijab, leading to its widespread politicization and sexualization within both Western and Arab contexts. The abstract outlines a dual focus, examining how Orientalism informs Western policies like hijab bans, and concurrently, how Arab states' reactions to imperialism have resulted in policies of hijab enforcement. This framing promises a comprehensive exploration that moves beyond simplistic debates of personal choice, instead firmly situating the veil within a critical geopolitical and socio-legal landscape. While the conceptual framework is compelling, the abstract leaves several crucial methodological and analytical questions unaddressed that would strengthen the paper. For instance, the exact nature of the "investigation" into how Orientalism *influences* Western perspectives and *culminates* in Arab state policies is not specified. Will this involve textual analysis, historical case studies, discourse analysis, or a combination thereof? Clarifying the research approach and the types of evidence that will be presented to demonstrate these transformations and influences would be highly beneficial. Additionally, the broad claims regarding the "epistemology of Orientalism" and the "effects of Imperialism and subsequent de-colonization movements" would benefit from a more precise historical and geographical scope, ensuring a rigorous rather than generalized analysis of such profound shifts. The abstract also mentions women's bodies being exploited for "personal gains," which requires further unpacking – whose gains, and in what specific contexts? Despite these points for elaboration, the paper tackles an exceedingly important subject that demands critical scholarly attention. By positioning the hijab within the fraught histories of imperialism, Orientalism, and de-colonization, the research has the potential to offer significant insights into how cultural symbols become battlegrounds for political and social power. A robust methodological approach, coupled with a nuanced treatment of the diverse experiences and agencies of women, would allow this paper to make a substantial contribution to scholarship on postcolonial studies, gender, and the sociology of religion. Should the author address the outlined areas for clarity and specificity, this work promises to be a powerful and much-needed intervention into the discourse surrounding the hijab, shifting the conversation towards a deeper understanding of its entangled histories and contemporary implications.

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