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In pursuit of modesty: contextual emotional labour and the dilemma for working women in Islamic societies

Syed, Jawad, Ali, Faiza, Winstanley, Diana (2005) In pursuit of modesty: contextual emotional labour and the dilemma for working women in Islamic societies. International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion, 1 (2). pp. 150-167. ISSN 1740-8938. (doi:10.1504/IJWOE.2005.008819) (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:3568)

PDF (Syed, J., Ali, F., & Winstanley, D. (2005). In pursuit of modesty: Contextual emotional labour and the dilemma for working women in Islamic societies. International Journal of Work, Organisation and Emotion, 1(2): 150-167.)
Language: English

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Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJWOE.2005.008819

Abstract

The paper explores the experience of working women in Islamic societies from the perspective of the concept of modesty. While female modesty occurs as a value in many cultures, it is a particularly explicit and strong feature of Islamic doctrine. The paper describes the doctrinal underpinnings of this concept to suggest the probable ways in which this frames the experience of working women. The contrast between the emotional requirements of ‘modesty’ and the emotional demands of modern international organisations, suggests two sets of competing claims in the successful performance of a work role. This can lead to emotional tensions for working women, which demand further emotional work upon the self by the subject. In exploring the literature on emotional labour, we believe that the concept has ignored strong contextual dimensions particularly religion-based social norms.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1504/IJWOE.2005.008819
Uncontrolled keywords: emotional labour, gender, identity, Islam, modesty, organisations, Pakistan, working women, emotion, female employees, emotional tensions, religion
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Kent Business School - Division > Kent Business School (do not use)
Depositing User: J.S.N. Syed
Date Deposited: 04 Sep 2008 14:41 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:42 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/3568 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Syed, Jawad.

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Ali, Faiza.

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