"Rationales for veiling and the meaning of the veil" [2019] ELECD 1173; in Cox, Neville (ed), "Behind the Veil" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019) 14

Book Title: Behind the Veil

Editor(s): Cox, Neville

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Section: Chapter 2

Section Title: Rationales for veiling and the meaning of the veil

Number of pages: 37

Abstract/Description:

Many of the arguments that have been advanced in support of laws that restrict the wearing of certain forms of Islamic head and face-covering veils operate on the assumption that the garments carry certain defined pejorative meanings. In addition, much analysis of the issue, including analysis of the human rights aspects of the debate engages neither with the reality of why certain women choose to wear veils nor with the significance of the act of veiling for those who do. As such, in this chapter I seek to consider the broad reasons for veiling and, in addition, to explain why this is so significant for some women.