Week 5 Readings

Rida Riaz
ASA 141
Week 5: Taste and Distinction Politics of Style" and "National Colors"

Taylor Jonsson National Colors was quite a relatable reading as being a Pakistani American, I've been to Pakistan several times and I see the pride everyday women (the women of my family included) take in their national dress. Pakistani ethnic dress gives individuals a source of identity and agency no matter where in the world they may reside in. For instance, my working mom chooses to dress in our ethnic wear (shalwar kameez) to work and in everyday life since that is what she's comfortable in and she loves standing out from the crowd to express the love she has for her homeland and culture.

Pakistani American Instagram Blogger Mariam Shah (@maryamishtiaq) 

 Another aspect I found interesting in Jonsson's reading was how when she travelled to ethnic-minority areas the people there did not dress in their ethnic-minority dress as they were avoiding Vietnamese prejudices. This is common pretty much elsewhere and an example is in the United States by the binary of religion vs culture. Some people tend to let go of their beliefs since they don't want to be looked down upon as a minority or fit in with the majority whilst others aren't afraid to flaunt their individuality with the rest of the world. For instance, the hijab is obligatory in Islam and living in a Western nation, sometimes a woman is conflicted upon whether to create an identity that she was born into or exploring her religion along with the external factors in her life to practice it in a certain way that she connects the most with. In the reading "Taste and Distinction Politics of Style", it talked about Muslim women living in Western nations choosing to wear the hijab/dress modestly as a choice rather than by force. Dress is a primary feature by which Muslims create their agency and identity. Being trendy by wearing cute Western clothes and still being modest makes Muslim women feel connected to their religion, but also to their nation since they merge with so many different ethnic groups on a day-to-day basis; moreover, mixing Western clothing with religious symbolism like the hijab allows the Muslim woman to connect both of her subject positions.

Lebanese American Instagram Blogger (@withloveleena)

 The readings this week are probably one of my favorites thus far because talking about self identity and the many factors that go behind it is so complex, yet also gives me an idea of how everyone lives their life and what are the reasoning's behind it. We can show nationalism by posters, advertisements or even a simple piece of dress like the head scarf in order to represent our identity with the rest of the world. It fascinates me and continues to inspire me to look at life with all sorts of explanations.