Religion, Dress and the Body by Gabriella Lazaridis (Editor), Linda B. Arthur (Editor)
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Product Details
- Pub. Date: May 1999
- Publisher: Berg Publishers
- Format: Paperback, 256pp
- Series: Dress, Body, Culture
- ISBN-13: 9781859732977
- ISBN: 1859732976
- Edition Number: 1
Synopsis
Religions constrain the bodies of their members through dress. In many cases, dress immediately identifies a member of the community to the outside world and separates them from a society that members believe is threatened by evil forces. Dress identifies the wearer's community to other groups and communities, and may also reflect one's status. Most interestingly, perhaps, dress is a measure of one's level of commitment to the community. While communities vary greatly in terms of what is permissible, strict conformity to internal codes invariably is interpreted as a sign of piety, whereas deviation implies at best self-indulgence and at worst contempt for community values. In order to control sexuality, women's bodies in particular are constrained in religious communities in terms of emotional expression, diet, and especially dress.
This book investigates dress in American religious communities as a vital component of the social control of cultures, and also examines how people express themselves despite religious constraints. Gender issues feature prominently since the control of female sexuality within religious communities is a matter of vital concern to its members. Drawing on rich ethnographic case studies, this wide-ranging and interdisciplinary represents a major contribution to the study of both religion and dress.
Biography
Linda B. Arthur is a Professor and Department Chair, Apparel Merchandising and Interior Design, Washington State University.
Customer Reviews
Fascinating Work about Clothing in Americaby Anonymous
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December 31, 1999: This book is less about religion than about religious culture, which makes it enjoyable- it is imminently readable. It provides an interesting look at the way some American religious groups use religion, and how people in those groups use clothing to express both cultural and religious values. Groups include Amish, Mennonites, Mormons, Jews, African-American, Native-American, Catholic Nuns and Afghani women living in Nebraska. A real benefit of this book is the way it provides information into the gender relations between men and women, and how the power dynamic often ends up controlling the way women dress.
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