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Confrontation Process of Students with Hijab

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Abstract

Hijab as an Islamic value and divine duty is emphasized, and it is necessary in university settings. The misveiling is a social phenomenon, and its social, political and cultural aspects must be studied for understanding its factors and causes. The aim of this study was to understand how the process of confronting students with hijab. A grounded theory design was used. The data were collected by semi-structured interviews from sixteen students who left their veiling, eleven students with veiling, three advisors, two Vice in Student and Cultural Affairs and three family members of students who left their veiling. The participants were selected through conventional and theoretical sampling method, and the data were analyzed simultaneously by continuous comparisons based on Strauss and Corbin (Basics of qualitative research: procedures and techniques for developing grounded theory, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, 1998) method. Sociocultural paradox of hijab was appeared as the main (core) variable affecting the process of confronting students with hijab. The main variable in this study includes six axial codes: sociocultural paradox, transformation of values, values selection, adherence to spiritual, doubt in beliefs and normative conflict. The process of acceptance/rejection of the hijab occurs because of sociocultural paradox after the transformation of values. In the meantime, person thinks about strategy. The person’s strategy to accept/leave the hijab is based on her beliefs. By adherence to spiritual, veiling can be strengthened and weakened by doubts in beliefs. In order to promote hijab, it is necessary to pay attention to its underlying conditions and causes. Individual beliefs and values must be strengthened for promoting hijab.

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Funding

Mahdi Fania was funded by Religion and Health Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Grant No. 14.3.2014).

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Correspondence to Morteza Abdoljabbari.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Informed Consent

This study is the result of a research project. The current study has been conducted with qualitative approach and grounded theory. In this research, the participants were female students who previously observed Islamic hijab completely and they were chosen purposefully. Before performing the research, all participants received informed consent. Confidentiality as the basic principle in the research was explained to all participants, to ensure confidentiality of personal information. Elements of included in an informed consent the present study included the following: purpose of the research, procedures involved in the research, alternatives to participation, all foreseeable risks and discomforts to the subject. (physical injury, psychological, social, or economic harm, discomfort, or inconvenience), benefits of the research to society and possibly to the individual human subject, length of time the subject is expected to participate, Statement indicated that participation is voluntary and that refusal to participate will not result in any consequences or any loss of benefits that the subject is otherwise entitled to receive statement regarding the subjects’ right to confidentiality and right to withdraw from the study at any time without any consequences.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Fani, M., Mohtashami, J., Karamkhani, M. et al. Confrontation Process of Students with Hijab. J Relig Health 59, 204–222 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0712-1

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