A material culture assessment of the changing abayas of Qatar 1908 to 2008

Abstract

Employing an interdisciplinary and material culture approach to the analysis of the abaya, the black all-encompassing outer garment worn by Qatari Muslim women, the aim of this research is to assess the cultural meaning of abayas in Qatar from 1908 to the present day. This garment has been selected as a focus for research because it is universal to Qatari women and its design, manufacture, retailing and use reflects in complex and sophisticated ways the changing roles of women in Qatar, their religious observance, their secular lives, their aspirations, and their place in Qatari society in the past and present.

Date of Award	Jul 2012
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Brighton