Hijab deconstructed : Hijab and meaning making amongst muslim women in Singapore

This paper attempts to deconstruct the Muslim women’s attitude towards the hijab by examining how they invest multiple meanings in the hijab in Singapore. While the meaning of hijab in Singapore might not be portrayed in an antagonistic light such as those in European areas, it is the micro-politics of everyday life for Muslim women that this paper is concerned in exploring. Investing meaning into the hijab extends beyond just the cognitive process, rather it encompasses other aspects of everyday life as well which constantly challenges their notion of self. Hijab, whether Muslim women wear it or not, is a way to discipline their bodies in terms of demeanor, appearance, sensuality and regimes, which can be argued to be a form of manifesting reflexivity and choice (Budgeon, 2003).Bachelor of Art