Document Type
Honors Project
Publication Date
5-31-2012
Abstract
The abaya is a traditional robe worn by women in the Arab Gulf states as both a symbol of national identity and as a part of Islamic veiling customs. Over the last twenty years, partly due to exposure to Western couture fashion, the abaya has changed from a plain, voluminous black robe to a unique signifier of personal taste through variations in fabrics, cuts, colors, and detailing. This study explores both the physical and symbolic changes the abaya (and the industry surrounding it) has undergone, as well as how these changes both reflect and provoke the conflicts in identity residents of the Arab Gulf States have undergone in an age of globalization.
Level of Honors
cum laude
Department
Religious Studies
Advisor
Martyn Smith
Recommended Citation
Shimek, Elizabeth D., "The Abaya: Fashion, Religion, and Identity in a Globalized World" (2012). Lawrence University Honors Projects. 12.
https://lux.lawrence.edu/luhp/12
Included in
Near Eastern Languages and Societies Commons, Other International and Area Studies Commons, Religion Commons, Women's Studies Commons