The Political Meaning of the Hijab Style of Women Candidates

Zulfatun Ni’Mah

doi:10.1177/1868103421989071

Abstract

For several decades, an increasing number of Indonesian women have worn the Islamic headscarf, or hijab. This phenomenon has been the subject of considerable scholarly analysis, with most analysts seeing it as one sign of growing Islamisation in the country. Relatively few studies, however, have considered the extraordinary variation in hijab styles or analysed how they are used in electoral politics. Through a close study of women candidates running for legislative seats in the Cilacap district in Indonesia’s 2019 election, this article analyses the political meaning of the style of hijab chosen by candidates as part of their political imaging. In particular, the article distinguishes between ideological and instrumental uses of the hijab, noting that while some candidates wore particular styles of hijab in order to convey a broad ideological vision about the future of Indonesia, others were far more instrumental in their use, tailoring their hijab style to increase their electoral chances.

Highlights

A noticeable feature of recent elections in Indonesia is the almost ubiquitous wearing of the hijab, or headscarf, by Muslim women candidates
The goal of this study is to reveal how women candidates strove to construct positive personal images through their choice of hijab style
This research presents evidence that suggests that when they choose a hijab style, female candidates actively engage in positive image building

Summary

Introduction

A noticeable feature of recent elections in Indonesia is the almost ubiquitous wearing of the hijab, or headscarf, by Muslim women candidates. Previous research on Indonesia identifies two main motivations for the wearing of the hijab, or the jilbab as it is commonly referred to in Indonesia: as a theological expression, and as an aesthetic expression Scholars such as Brenner (1996), Ahmadi and Yohana (2007), Smith-H efner (2007), Dewi (2012), and Ramadhini (2017) explore the theological background of the wearing of the hijab, explaining how wearers see the garment as a religious responsibility for Muslim women. Authors such as Rofhani (2017) and Istiani (2015), by contrast, explore the aesthetics of the hijab, considering it as a fashion item that can signify social class and express other aspects of identity

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion