Anatomy of Muslim Veils

The practice of veiling among Indonesian Muslim women has significantly increased since the last few decades. It has been a surprising trend considering the fact that most indigenous women in the archipelago were bare-headed and the country itself does not constitutionally declare as an Islamic state. Unfortunately, the explanation of this puzzle has not been sufficiently conducted by scholars, let alone considering the complexity of its development. Partial explication is no longer adequate to understand the inter-connected dimension of veiling, as it intertwines with religious and socio-political aspects of Muslim’s lives. This book, therefore, presents an extensive analysis on transformation of veiling among Indonesian Muslims dealing with social, political and economic developments. It provides an account from the perspective of various agents, both elite and non-elite, who have involved in theological and political tensions since New Order to Reform Era. This book is an important study not only for readers interested in development of Muslim women in Southeast Asia, but also for all those interested in transformation of Muslim practices in the world.