Abstract

Over the last 15 years, the hijab has been one of the most contentious symbols of Islam in Australia. It has underpinned political debates and cultural anxieties and, particularly in mainstream media, been used to associate Islam with a suite of negative connotations, particularly oppression, misogyny and violence. This is largely attributable to global events linked to Islamist terrorists; most notably the attacks in New York on 11 September 2001, but also subsequent and similarly inspired attacks in Bali (2002), Madrid (2004), London (2005), Sydney (2014) and Paris (2015). This terrorism has sponsored fear, alarm and paranoia in predominantly non-Muslim countries such as Australia, and veiled Muslim women have thus become easy targets for discrimination and hostility.