Online Islamic Spaces as Communities of Practice for Female Muslim Converts Who Wear the Niqab

Bibliographic Data

ID6147645
AuthorsAnna Piela (0000-0002-3589-1822, Leeds Trinity University, corresponding author)
Year2015
Volume13
Issue3
Pages363-382
Publication date2015-10-15
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueHawwa (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1569-2078 • E-ISSN: 1569-2086
PublisherBrill (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1163/15692086-12341288
OpenAlexW2178416973
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited26

This article focuses on online narratives of female converts to Islam who wear or plan to wear the niqab. There is little discussion in research literature about motivations leading to adoption of the niqab or experiences of women who wear it. Instead, the discourse on niqab has been sensationalised by tabloid media which construct it as a symbol of otherness and separation from the host culture and, recently, one of radicalisation. This begs the question: why are some converts drawn to it despite negative reactions to the niqab by some Muslims and non-Muslims. Here, I examine online discussions in which converted women argue why they wish to wear the niqab, often in contradiction to other Muslims’ views. I draw from Rambo’s conversion model (1993) and Lave and Wenger’s concept of communities of practice to illuminate the process whereby participants learn about Islam and the niqab through social interaction

Contradiction · Epistemology · Islam · Narrative · Sociology · Theology · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Philosophy · Psychology · Religious studies · Sex work and related issues

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