Abstract:
The consumption of Islamic products has been discussed quite extensively in many
studies, yet the opposite case which is the dissociation from Islamic products is
rarely discussed. This study aims to investigate the phenomena in which Muslim
women who were raised with conservative values at home countries choose to dissociate
from hijab when they live in the western countries. Moreover, they become
activists who discourage other Muslim women from wearing hijab. This study
adopts a phenomenological research design. The results suggest that hijab dissociation
is a form of compensatory mechanism aimed at minimizing self-discrepancy,
restoring self-esteem, gaining personal control, reducing perceived alienation and
coping with psychological trauma. This study contributes to the theoretical gap in
compensatory consumption literature by linking the theory with the non-consumption
of religious products.
