Head Coverings, Arab Identity, and New Materialism

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Head Coverings, Arab Identity, and New Materialism chapter 9 Head Coverings, Arab Identity, and New Materialism Joseph Donica Collective identity consists of a constellation of has certainly taken a central position within re- shared events, memories, traumas, successes, and cent controversies. geographies, among a variety of other things. The line between what is acceptable use of a Some of these “other things” are the shared every- cultural object that is not one’s own and what is day objects so connected to a people’s collective “mindless” appropriation is still quite blurry. How- identity as to seem inseparable from it. These ob- ever, many are genuinely offended, and discus- jects, though, have recently become battlegrounds sions are happening, primarily on campuses, over questions of whether outsiders should par- about the balance between educating students ticipate in the formation of these collective identi- and calling them out online. Controversies over ties or not. At the writing of this piece, an anti- the cultural appropriation of attire stem, in part, cultural-appropriation moment is in full swing. from a tendency in the United States to politicize National campaigns have been launched to edu- objects traditionally associated with certain eth- cate people about what objects from another cul- nic or cultural groups.2 The process of politicizing ture are appropriate to use or not, and several objects, however, has often dire effects on people high-profile cases of politicians who have appro- who use them on a daily basis. While perhaps use- priated another culture’s things have been brought ful to some, this politicization is hard to undo once to public attention. The “cultural appropriation its political purpose has been served. What hap- wars,” as they have come to be called, began, in pens, though, when we de-politicize objects? Or, is their most recent iteration, around Halloween cos- their de-politicization even possible? tumes on college and university campuses.1 Some In this chapter, I examine the keffiyeh and the of the tensions over appropriation have addressed tension that its politicization causes within the the use of stereotyped bodies of racial and ethnic object’s everyday use to open up a conversation groups, as well as attire stereotypically associated about how a focus on keffiyeh itself as an object with Black Americans, Native Americans, and Asians—somewhat broadly defined. While the cultural appropriation wars over Halloween rarely 2 This topic has increasingly gained in prominence in cur- mention attire associated with Arabs, that attire rent years. For some insightful discussion on sartorial ex- pressions of cultural appropriation vs. appreciation, see, for instance, Hsiao-Cheng Han, “Moving from Cultural Ap- 1 The Yale University incident in 2015, in which faculty propriation to Cultural Appreciation,” Art Education 72, no. pushed against students’ demands for safe spaces, free from 2 (2019): 8–13; Michelle Liu Carriger, “No ‘Thing to Wear’: offensive costumes, became the symbol for these “wars.” A Brief History of Kimono and Inappropriation from Ja- Halloween has become the most contested event around ponisme to Kimono Protests,” Theatre Research Interna- which the conversation about appropriation occurs, given tional 43, no. 2 (2018): 165–84; Regan de Loggans, “Selling the holiday’s freedom to play with identities not one’s Headdresses to Hipsters: A Discussion on the Cultural Ap- own. For details, see Conor Friedersdorf, “The New Intoler- propriation of Native American Regalia” (Master’s thesis, ance of Student Activism,” The Atlantic, November 9, 2015, State University of New York, 2017); and Nadim N. Damluji, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/11/ “Imperialism Reconfigured: The Cultural Interpretations the-new-intolerance-of-student-activism-at-yale/414810/. of the Keffiyeh” (Honors Thesis, Whitman College, 2010). © Joseph Donica, ���1 | doi 10.1163/97890044359�6_011 This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. 164 Donica with its own agency can illuminate the construc- clothing seen in the Arab world, especially head tion of an Arab identity through everyday objects. coverings. Such coverings have multiple levels of I do so by shifting focus from political controver- utility and meaning in Arab cultures. The hijab is sies over the keffiyeh to the keffiyeh as a thing with one of the most recognizable of them as it indi- a politics of its own. I will start by looking at how cates the religious identity of the Arab-Muslim the scarf has become politicized, turn then to the women. There is also their practical level: head scholarship on the entanglement of things with coverings are used by both men and women for human intentions, and next ask if it is possible to protection against harsh weather. Because many reach a fuller understanding of the keffiyeh as an Arab-majority countries are geographically locat- object we can simply appreciate without forcing ed in hot, arid climates, this requires people living conversations about appropriation on it. My ex- there to cover their head and face during parts of amination of the keffiyeh through the lenses of the day. This mix of culture, religion, and practical new materialism will, thus, lead me to question use has caused head coverings to build up a history the fine line between cultural appropriation and and life of their own. cultural appreciation when considering the keffi- Head coverings have also been used in more yeh as a fashion item in a globalized world. pointed ways by Arabs and non-Arabs alike to in- dicate an Arab identity on other levels. The veil, in any of its forms, has been used by Arab-Muslim 1 Head Coverings as Identity Markers women to identify themselves religiously, cultur- ally, and even politically, and it has been used by Head coverings are some of the material objects non-Arab and non-Muslim people to identi- most often associated with an “Arab” identity. fy Arab-Muslim women as culturally other— Whether it is the hijab or the keffiyeh, these objects especially in Europe and the U.S. There is also a usually denote an Arab identity even though they long history of Western film and art using head are worn worldwide by many non-Arab Muslims. coverings to identify characters as Arab, at times in Despite calls that a collective “Arab” identity is a a derogatory way. Jack Shaheen’s book and subse- thing of the past, Christopher Phillips argues that quent documentary, Reel Bad Arabs,4 outline just this notion has seen a resurgence not just during how influential these images are on the attitudes the Arab revolts of 2011, or the Arab Spring, but toward Arabs in the West. His ideas, of course, are also in recent discussions about everyday markers informed by the seminal work of Edward Said and of identity, such as clothing. Phillips admits that his field- defining “Orientalism.”5 Both theorists “Arab identity has been constructed, reproduced point out some of the hard truths that Western and disseminated … by the state regimes” and that cultures have yet to come to terms with in their narratives of Arab identity “are now reproduced representations of Arabs. every day in a largely routine and everyday While the veil, in its many forms, has attracted manner.”3 The “everyday Arabism” that Phillips significant scholarly attention in the past decades,6 describes—such as the supra-national discourses promoted by some political regimes or news out- lets like Al-Jazeera—is seen not only on television 4 Jack Shaheen, Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a and online but also on the Arab streets. One of the People (Northampton: Interlink, 2001). 5 Edward W. Said, Orientalism (New York: Pantheon, 1978). crucial aspects of this urban scene is the distinctive 6 For recent scholarship on the veil, see Leila Ahmed, A Qui- et Revolution: The Veil’s Resurgence, from the Middle East to 3 Christopher Phillips, Everyday Arab Identity: The Daily Re- America (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2011); Eliz- production of the Arab World (London: Routledge, 2013), abeth Bucar, The Islamic Veil: A Beginner’s Guide (Oxford: 1–2. OneWorld Publications, 2012); Hilal Elver, The Headscarf .
Recommended publications
  • Veiled, Unveiled! the Headscarf October 18, 2018 – February 26, 2019
    Veiled, Unveiled! The Headscarf October 18, 2018 – February 26, 2019 A piece of fabric forms the focus of this exhibition. It is much older than Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Long before the birth of these religions, a headscarf denoted social differences in ancient Mesopotamia – and its absence women’s sexual vulnerability. Today, it lies before us weighed down with countless meanings. And far too often it still represents a man’s word on a woman’s body. The fabric that pious women use to cover their head, their face and frequently also their entire body whips up feelings. But the commandment that women cover their hair has been part of European civilisation for centuries. Its history stretches from the beginnings of Christianity until today. For Christians, the veil became a symbol of honour, modesty and virginity. The Apostle Paul demanded that women cover their faces with a veil when they talk to God. Loose hair was regarded as immoral, only the Virgin Mary is occasionally depicted wearing her hair in this way. A covered head was the prerogative of married women, and of nuns. A bereaved woman put on widow’s weeds. In the Late Middle Ages some European cities passed sumptuary laws that stipulated how women should cover their head and neck. In the early 1920s, the Pope deplored the imprudence of women who disregarded all modesty by dancing wearing “indecent” dresses. During the Austrian Ständestaat and after the Nazi annexation of Austria headscarf and dirndl signalled both the wearer’s fealty to her home country and her down-to-earthness.
    [Show full text]
  • Language Institute Foreign Language Center 2019 Country in Perspective | Algeria
    COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE ALGERIA DLIFLC DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER 2019 COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | ALGERIA Geography Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5 Geographic Divisions ................................................................................................. 6 The Tell ..................................................................................................................6 The High Plateaus and the Saharan Atlas Mountains ...................................7 Northeastern Algeria ...........................................................................................7 Topographical Divisions.............................................................................................. 8 Sahara Desert ......................................................................................................8 Climate ........................................................................................................................... 9 Bodies of Water ...........................................................................................................10 Rivers ...................................................................................................................10 Major Cities ..................................................................................................................11 Algiers .................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • CAIR: an Employer's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
    An Employer’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices Demographers say that Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the United States. American Muslims are now found in all sectors of society. This growing Muslim population adds a new dimension to be considered by employers when dealing with issues of multiculturalism and diversity. The information contained in this booklet is designed to assist employers in for- mulating and implementing policies that will help create a culturally-sensitive workplace environment. It will also serve as a guide to religiously-mandated practices of Muslim employees. Glossary of Muslim Terms Eid (EED): A day of festivity, major religious holiday. Halal (Hah-LAAL): Permissible by Islamic law. Hij’ab (Hee-JAAB): Clothing Muslim women wear in public. It is generally loose-fitting and includes a head covering. Jum ‘ah (JOO-mah): Friday congregational prayer, the Muslim weekly worship service. Kufi (KOO-fee): A cap sometimes worn by Muslim men. Qur’an (QUR-aan): Islam’s scripture, sometimes spelled Koran. Ramadan (RAHM-a-daan): The month of fasting. U. S. Legal Protections of Religious Rights Muslim practices are, in legal terminology, bona fide religious beliefs, and those who practice them regard them as compulsory religious duties. Observances such as prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and religious celebrations are long held practices of members of the Muslim faith. Such expressions are protected by the following provisions in the Bill of Rights and federal law: • The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which protects the free exercise of religion. • Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which provides that an employer may not discriminate against a person because he/she adheres to a particular faith, and that employers must accommo- date an employee’s religious practices unless doing so would cause undue hardship to the employer.
    [Show full text]
  • Am Yisrael: a Resource Guide to Exploring the Many Faces of the Jewish People
    Am Yisrael: A Resource Guide to Exploring the Many Faces of the Jewish People Prepared by Congregation Beth Adam and OurJewishCommunity.org with support from The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati Table of Contents A Letter to Grownups ....................................................... Page 1 Am Yisrael: One Big Jewish Family ...................................... Page 2 Where Jews Live .............................................................. Page 3 What Jews Look Like ......................................................... Page 4 What Jews Wear ............................................................... Pages 5-8 What Jews Eat ................................................................ Page 9 Fun Jewish Recipes from Around the World ........................... Pages 10-12 I Love Being Jewish ......................................................... Page 13 Discussion Generating Activities ........................................ Pages 14-15 Discussion Questions ....................................................... Page 16 Jewish Diversity Songs ..................................................... Page 17 Coloring Book Pages ........................................................ Pages 18-29 Acknowledgments .......................................................... Page 30 Letter to Grownups When you think of Jews, what do you picture? What do they eat? What language do they speak? How do they dress? What makes them unique? There are so many ways to be Jewish, and so many different Jewish cultures around the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights of Women Wearing the Veil in Western Europe
    Human Rights of Women Wearing the Veil in Western Europe Research Paper I. Introduction The present paper analyses legislation, policies, and case-law surrounding religious attire in a number of countries in Western Europe and how they affect the human rights of women and girls who wear the veil in Western Europe. It also more broadly analyses discrimination and violence experienced by women wearing the veil in Europe learning from their own voice. Throughout the paper, the terminology ‘veil’ is used to refer to a variety of religious attire worn mostly, but not exclusively, by Muslim women. There are different types of clothing that cover the body. This research is focused on manifestations of veils that are the subject of regulation in several Western European Countries. They include the hijab (a piece of clothing that covers the head and neck, but not the face), niqab (a piece of clothing that covers the face, where only the eyes are visible), burqa (a piece of clothing that covers both the face and eyes), jilbab (a loose piece of clothing that covers the body from head to toe), or abaya, kaftan, kebaya (a loose, often black, full body cover overcoat). The head and body covers are often combined. In several countries, some of these clothing are based on traditional costumes rather than religion and are often worn by rural communities in the countries of origins. The paper also uses the terminology ‘full-face veil’ or ‘face-covering veil’ to refer to both niqab and burqa. Furthermore, it refers to burkini, a swimsuit that covers the body from head to ankles, completed by a dress.
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparative Analysis of the Headscarf in France, Turkey, and the United States Hera Hashmi
    University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class Volume 10 | Issue 2 Article 8 Too Much to Bare? A Comparative Analysis of the Headscarf in France, Turkey, and the United States Hera Hashmi Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/rrgc Part of the Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, and the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Hera Hashmi, Too Much to Bare? A Comparative Analysis of the Headscarf in France, Turkey, and the United States, 10 U. Md. L.J. Race Relig. Gender & Class 409 (2010). Available at: http://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/rrgc/vol10/iss2/8 This Notes & Comments is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UM Carey Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UM Carey Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. TOO MUCH TO BARE? A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE HEADSCARF IN FRANCE, TURKEY, AND THE UNITED STATES BY HERA HASHMI* INTRODUCTION In July 2009, a man stabbed and killed a pregnant woman wearing a headscarf in a German courtroom during an appellate trial for his Islamophobic remarks against her.1 Her death led to outrage around the world, and she became known as the "martyr of the veil," a woman killed for her religious belief.2 Yet it was just a simple piece of cloth that evoked this violent reaction. Such Islamaphobic sentiments seem to be spreading throughout various parts of the world. In 2004, France banned headscarves and all conspicuous religious symbols from public classrooms.3 In 2005, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)4 upheld Turkey's headscarf ban barring thousands of headscarf-wearing women from attending schools, universities, and entering government buildings in a country where a majority of the population is Muslim.
    [Show full text]
  • Turkish Literature from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia Turkish Literature
    Turkish literature From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Turkish literature By category Epic tradition Orhon Dede Korkut Köroğlu Folk tradition Folk literature Folklore Ottoman era Poetry Prose Republican era Poetry Prose V T E A page from the Dîvân-ı Fuzûlî, the collected poems of the 16th-century Azerbaijanipoet Fuzûlî. Turkish literature (Turkish: Türk edebiyatı or Türk yazını) comprises both oral compositions and written texts in the Turkish language, either in its Ottoman form or in less exclusively literary forms, such as that spoken in the Republic of Turkey today. The Ottoman Turkish language, which forms the basis of much of the written corpus, was influenced by Persian and Arabic and used the Ottoman Turkish alphabet. The history of the broader Turkic literature spans a period of nearly 1,300 years. The oldest extant records of written Turkic are the Orhon inscriptions, found in the Orhon River valley in central Mongolia and dating to the 7th century. Subsequent to this period, between the 9th and 11th centuries, there arose among the nomadic Turkic peoples of Central Asia a tradition of oral epics, such as the Book of Dede Korkut of the Oghuz Turks—the linguistic and cultural ancestors of the modern Turkish people—and the Manas epic of the Kyrgyz people. Beginning with the victory of the Seljuks at the Battle of Manzikert in the late 11th century, the Oghuz Turks began to settle in Anatolia, and in addition to the earlier oral traditions there arose a written literary tradition issuing largely—in terms of themes, genres, and styles— from Arabic and Persian literature.
    [Show full text]
  • The Public Eye, Summer 2015
    SUMMER 2015 The Public Eye When the Exception Is the Rule Christianity in the Religious Freedom Debates editor’s letter perspectives BY LInDsay BeyersTEIn THE PUBLIC EYE quarterly PUBLIsHER Tarso Luís Ramos Struggling to Get Church GUEsT EDIToR Kathryn Joyce Beyond the Hate Frame LAYoUT and State Right Jennifer Hall CoVER art Political Research Associates always strives to see both the trees and the forest: to go Asad Badat Whether it’s a spree killing, a vandalized mosque, or a beyond caricatures to provide fresh research and analysis on individual conservative bias attack on a queer teen, Americans are quick to chalk it PRInTInG activists and coalitions, but also to situate these actors in the larger infrastructure of Red Sun Press up to hate. The label “hate crime” invites us to blame over- the Right. The first piece in our Summer 2015 issue,“Beyond the Hate Frame” (page wrought individuals acting on extreme personal prejudice, EDIToRIAL BoARD , speaks to this ideal: an interview with Kay Whitlock and Michael Bronski, authors of 3) T.F. Charlton • Frederick Clarkson making it seem as if a small cadre of social deviants is our the new book Considering Hate, which explores how “the hate frame” obscures broader Alex DiBranco • Eric Ethington main obstacle to a peaceful society. In fact, such individu- issues of systemic violence. Kapya Kaoma • L. Cole Parke als are products of a society that endorses all kinds of vio- Tarso Luís Ramos • Spencer Sunshine lence against the very same groups who are targeted in hate As this issue is going to press, the Supreme Court has just announced its historic rul- Mariya Strauss crimes.
    [Show full text]
  • Fulfilling the Promise of Free Exercise for All: Muslim Prisoner Accomodations in State Prisons
    FREE EXERCISE REPORT JULY 2019 FULFILLING THE PROMISE OF FREE EXERCISE FOR ALL: Muslim Prisoner Accommodation in State Prisons 1 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 4 I. METHODOLOGY: A Multi-Faceted Examination of Free Exercise Conditions in State Prisons ............................................................................................................................................. 7 A. State Religious Preference Data: 35-Jurisdiction Response ........................................................... 7 B. Database of 163 Recent Federal Cases Brought by Muslim Plaintiffs Alleging Free Exercise Violations ................................................................................................................................... 7 C. Religious Services Policies and Handbooks: 50-State Survey ........................................................ 8 II. BACKGROUND: Muslim Free Exercise History and Today’s Legal Regime ......................... 9 A. Early America and the Preservation of African Muslim Practices Under Conditions of Slavery ........................................................................................................................................ 9 B. Muslim Prisoners Spearhead Prison Conditions Litigation in the 1960s and 1970s .................... 10 C. Courts Reduce Prisoners’ Free Exercise Protection in the 80s and Early 90s .............................. 12 D. Congress
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis of Keffiyeh/Made in China
    Last name 1 Student name English 110 Instructor name Date Art that Dictates Rather than Imitates: An Analysis of Keffiyeh/Made in China The keffiyeh, a checkered black and white scarf worn about the head or neck, is a symbol of Palestinian resistance that dates back to the 1930’s Arab Revolution against British occupation, and it represents the current struggle of Palestinians to control their identity and future in the face of Israeli occupation of their lands (Kreibaum). Dalia Taha, a Palestinian playwright who grew up in Ramallah, a city in the Palestinian West Bank (Moss) uses this powerful symbol in the title of her experimental play Keffiyeh/Made in China. Taha notes, “Art always challenges power structures” (Moss), and she does precisely this in her play. Palestine has had a tumultuous history of occupation and conflict. During the Arab-Israeli War in 1948, Nakba occurred, where thousands of Palestinians were displaced to create Israel. Nakba is the Arabic word for catastrophe, and that is how it is remembered by Palestinians. Thousands of Palestinians continue to die in the Israel- Palestine conflict, and many fight for the right to assert their identity (B'Tselem). In her play Keffiyeh/Made in China, Taha captures this on-going tumultuous struggle by combining historical events with experimental literary structure in order to humanize and educate the world about the Palestinian suffering in the wake of their occupation and to create awareness and support for them lest they be forgotten entirely. In one of the play’s acts called “60 Seconds,” Taha presents a character about to die as the result of a gunshot wound to the face, and she uses the technique of blending fiction Last name 2 with reality to connect the audience more directly to the plight of the Palestinians.
    [Show full text]
  • Occupied East Jerusalem
    Occupied East Jerusalem Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council Independent International Commission of Inquiry Investigating all Violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 13 June 2014 Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem [email protected] 1/31/2015 Occupied East Jerusalem Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council Independent International Commission of Inquiry Investigating all Violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 13 June 2014 Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem [email protected] Contact person: Zakaria Odeh, executive director Co-Authors, Editors and Contributors: Hady Matar, Assistant Program Director at Palestine Works Ingrid Jaradat Gassner, Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem Justin Schwegel, Alice McBurney, Anji Manivannan, Emma Herman, Asma Peracha, Anan AbuSchanab, Samar Khan, Sara Ihmoud The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCPRJ) is an East Jerusalem-based union of Palestinian NGOs cooperating to protect and promote the human rights of Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem, including the right to self-determination. i TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 II. International Law Framework Governing East Jerusalem ...............................
    [Show full text]
  • ACLU Defense of Religious Practice and Expression
    ACLU Defense of Religious Practice and Expression The ACLU vigorously defends the rights of all Americans to practice their religion. But because the ACLU is often better known for its work preventing the government from promoting and funding selected religious activities, it is sometimes wrongly assumed that the ACLU does not zealously defend the rights of all religious believers to practice their faith. The actions described below – over half of which were brought on behalf of self- identified Christians, with the remaining cases defending the rights of a wide range of minority faiths – reveal just how mistaken such assumptions are. (The list below includes only recent examples.) * * * * The ACLU and ACLU of Michigan (2018) secured an accommodation for an Air Force JAG officer to wear hijab. https://www.aclu.org/blog/religious-liberty/free-exercise-religion/aclu-client-makes- history-first-air-force-jag-corps The ACLU of West Virginia (2018) ensured that the city of Wheeling continued to allow a Catholic woman to offer her home for hospitality and fellowship to those in need. https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/catholic-worker-house-allowed-stay-open The ACLU and ACLU of Delaware (2017) reversed a school’s decision to suspend a Muslim high school student who wears a kufi. The school agreed to allow the student to wear his kufi in school, amend district policy, and provide training on students’ religious freedom rights. https://aclu-de.org/news/aclu-de-protects-students-rights-to-religious- freedom/2018/01/09/ The ACLU and ACLU of Minnesota (2017) joined a friend-of-the-court brief supporting a Seventh-day Adventist whose employer revoked her job offer after she asked for a religious accommodation.
    [Show full text]