Cultural Symbolism of Islamic Headscarves

Turkey's recent controversial decision to allow Islamic headscarves in universities contrasts starkly with France's school ban in 2004. In Turkey the ability to wear a headscarf represents religious freedom and secularism (no legislation regulating religious representation), but in France headscarves are religious symbols and have no place in public schools. Meanwhile, in the US, a recent study reveals the enormous symbolic weight of headscarves and the social perceptions they invoke.

Gender Equality and Islamic Headscarves

IMMANENT FRAME - Joan Wallach Scott at The Immanent Frame discusses the symbolic significance of of Islamic headscarves. Scott compares the contrasting approaches of Turkey and France (who banned headscarves from universities in 2004). This post also challenges the often axiomatic assumption that secularism goes hand in hand with religious freedom. ...

Headscarves and Socio-Economic Mobility

POLIGAZETTE - Benjamin at Poligazette analyzes the recent controversy in Turkey from an economic and socio-economic point of view. This post suggests that the economic development over the last 50 years is what has created this recent controversy and that the "secular elites" have overreacted because of the association between economic success and a secular society. ...

Social Perceptions

THE MONKEY CAGE - The Monkey Cage presents and explains a recent study showing the common perceptions of someone wearing a headscarf. According to the study a covered woman is thought to be more "traditional " and less "warm." Perhaps more significant, however, is that respondents were much less likely to want to live near a woman who wears a headscarf. ...

2.12.08

10:55 AM -

Is this a problem?

endless - If a girl decides that she wants to wear a skirt that goes below her knees in a world where everyone wears mini-skirts, is that a problem? Should she be forced to hike up that skirt? What if she says that it is for religious reasons? Should that fact make her have to hike it up even further? What ever happened to letting someone pursue their own understanding of purity and humility?

Music in A Digital Age with Business Week's Jon Fine	Wake Me Up On November 5?: Election Fatigue
Reefer Sanity With Dan Bernath	Eliot Spitzer & The Implications of Political Sex Scandals
Intellectualism in America	Arms Trafficking
Hugo Chavez: Looking for a Rumble in the Jungle?	The Future of Hollywood With Ken Levine