Theoretical Framework

Scholars’ theories on media and communication discussed recurring patterns and contexts in the media that ascertain significance of mediated constructs upon attitudes and knowledge of audiences. According to Dominick, (2011, p.445), “agencies of socialization” that encompass family upbringing, friends, personal experiences and mass media as a primary source of information extend throughout years growth and development. Several dimensions discussed by West & Turner (2010) identified the use of media among audiences in attaining personal fulfillment. These dimensions include firstly; acquiring information, knowledge and understanding of a phenomenon that reside in their cognitive needs. Secondly, media users are susceptible to their affective needs, where they require media content that suit their emotions, feelings and to which they would gain pleasure. West & Turner further explained on the requirement of personal integrative needs as to which their desire to be recognized for their stability, status and

credibility by others. Subsequently, media use is also a form of socialization where a media user’s social integrative needs fulfills their interactions with family and friends, creating a sense of belonging for the media user. Finally, the last dimension cited tension release needs, where withdrawal and the availability of escape surfaces from a user’s

media consumption. This foundation of this approach is derived from the work by Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch (1974) in the research of Uses and Gratifications (U&G) that assumed people are active in choosing and using particular media to satisfy specific needs; emphasizing on the media as having a limited effect on certain aspects of users’

personal and social lives where they are able to exercise choice and control to accomplish personal goals (Dominick, 2011, p.39). The paradigms of the model is pertinent to how visibility of the hijab is commonly represented with Malay connotations, and are relevant to media audiences, particularly in their gratifications as well as the learning and unlearning of Malay-Muslim women’s roles that would inspire personal practice of

University

of Malaya

female modesty. Hence, the U&G is instrumental to the use of media as a source to embrace and acculturate the hijab into the audiences’ daily life and development of personal principles in regard to their beliefs of Islam.

Next, the postfeminist approach of the Double Bind by Kathleen Hall Jamieson (1995) is pragmatic to this study. Jamieson argued that women suffer multiple binds in the aspects of feminity or competence. Hence in their struggles; the first bind, a woman is presumed to have established a personal agenda or preference of how she may carry herself. In the second bind, the same woman conforms to society dictating how an ideal woman should present herself, as the case of the growing culture of the hijabis in Malaysia that continues to permeate in local media. In doing so, the media audiences negotiate contents from media use that establish their affinity and association with representations of female modesty.

The theoretical framework also encompassed the foundation of “Structuration Theory”

by Anthony Giddens (1984) as cited by Barker (2003). Largely related to cultural studies, Giddens discussed the “duality of structure”, an individual’s adaptation to social actions and ability to reproduce them through embedded memory or “memory traces” which are recursive and constituted as a systemic practice that allow similar social practices to exist (Giddens, 1979). This theory suggests that repeated acts through agency reproduce a systemic social structure that can be adapted by others (Gauntlett, 2008). The study deployed the theory as it could deliberate the recursive practices and negotiations of the hijab through representations of veiling Malaysian media whilst shaping a subculture that is tangible and feasible to members of the society.

In brief, dimensions of the said theories explain from the view of a globalized, modernized consumer culture of how pious symbolism and identity is created and

University

of Malaya

maintained through modernized representation of urban Malay-Muslim women in hijab and how it provides gratification to users from repeated media consumption.

COMMODIFICATION CO

MEDIA CHOICE

THE SELF GRATIFICATION

AFFINITY EMPOWERMENT

Figure 1.3: Theoretical framework on representation of female modesty in contemporary Malaysian media

As illustrated by Figure 1.3, the representation of the hijab by Malay-Muslim women featured in prominent media provides gratification that produce a sense of belonging in the new, modern community of hijab wearers. As such, affinity for the contemporary hijab movement emerges, of which creates a template of identity that women recognize as a vehicle to progress and achieve power or place in the society. This henceforth triggers the desire for Malay-Muslim women to be included in the structured community of hijabis; thus they seek information on the elements of this new subculture from the media that amplify benefits of the hijab to the audiences through media in visuals, audio or multimedia formats. This new phenomenon of the hijab is in fact, carrying a socio-political identity that allows an individual to develop self-belief and life principles upon embracing it as a positive influence upon her personal development.

During the course of study, an outlook on media impact towards the audience was made. The theoretical framework derived was used as a basis to conduct this study, where it will underpin whether expectations and beliefs shaped through media messages conform to an individual’s existing beliefs hence create awareness and disillusionment of

University

of Malaya

empowerment towards new forms of hijab wearing among Malay-Muslim women.

Overall, this study will underpin power relations shaped through media messages that correlate with Malay-Muslim women’s attitudes as well as beliefs and the rapid change in social construct.