1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«In this paper, I explore this issue by presenting the findings of a qualitative research [on] veiled and non-veiled Muslim high school teenagers in Montreal.» (p. 1903)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«If the hijab is politically instrumentalized, both in the West and in the Muslim world, what room is left to Muslim women in the production of the social meanings embedded in veil wearing? Even more interesting, how do young Muslim women raised in the West negotiate the veil’s symbolism given that they are socially located at the crossroads of (at least) two interlocking systems of domination, gender and race (Collins 2000), and that they were exposed, throughout their lives, to cultural frameworks construed as mutually incompatible (the West vs Islam)?» (p. 1903)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«Besides three participants who are Canadian-born, all others migrated to Canada between the age of one and twelve. Most participants have a North African (twelve) or Middle Eastern background (five), while three of them are, respectively, of Pakistani, Chinese and Guinean origin[…].» (p. 1906)

Instruments :
Guide d’entretien semi-directif

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

«These data confirm the importance of shunning the misconceived notion that racialized minorities are solely motivated by culture whereas free choice is confined to Western people. This kind of one-sided cultural essentialism masks the fact that Muslim minority women also have the power to engage reflexively with the dominant gender roles into which they were socialized. Conversely, it prevents us from seeing how gendered cultural models also colour majority women’s life choices, often in a way that reinforces sexist patterns of social relations.» (p. 1913) «The veiled teenagers started wearing the hijab when they were aged between nine and thirteen. Although their mothers are generally veiled themselves, none of the veiled informants reported being coerced by their parents or relatives into wearing the hijab, except for one Pakistani-origin girl aged seventeen (V7), whose narrative strongly suggests that she started wearing it to please her parents. However, even if not coerced, these young girls were often influenced in their decision by their parents or a third party.» (p. 1907)