The Haik, the Hat, and the Gendered Politics of the New Public

Abstract

This chapter looks into the gendered politics of Algeria. It cites that newspapers in the interwar years saw a flood of discussions about headwear for both Muslim men and women. The debate unveils how these forms of dress became a language for Muslims to redefine what was modern or traditional and articulate visions of Algeria’s future. Thus, the historiography of the veil in Algeria has been most preoccupied with its symbolism during the Algerian War of Independence. The chapter explains how Muslim reformists proposed pride in Algerian history and traditions to combat the notion of shame and loss of dignity.