Exploring the Meanings of Hijab through Online Comments in Canada

Abstract

Controversies surrounding ethnic dress such as hijab have increased public awareness about cultural diversity. The number of comments posted on online media make it evident that many people are concerned about ethnic attire, cultural differences and social cohesion. Although researchers have examined the meanings of veiling, the relationships between hijab and public opinion have seldom been investigated. The overarching objective of this study was to understand the relationships between Islamic attire and online readers’ opinion. In light of the limitations in the previous studies on this topic, this study attempts to fill the gap by studying posters’ opinions toward hijab through publicly available online information in the form of posted comments.

Keywords:

• Canadian Muslims
• Islamic attire
• hijab
• veiling
• online media

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Royal Bank of Canada and Ryerson University under Partnership for Change: RBC Immigrant, Diversity and Inclusion Project Research Grant. This assistance is gratefully acknowledged.