Politics of Location

Reading Kaplan's essay is challenging. This is the most difficult article assigned thin week. Because, first, I have to understand the idea of a “politics of location” which seems too philosophic, and second, I have to follow Kaplan’s writing in describing many different interpretations regarding a “politics of location”. However, after reading it, I can understand, at least, the idea of a “politics of location” that considers the connection between one identity and social, geographical, and historical location. For example, understanding the importance and the history of a place is connected to people’s ideas about land, what they wear, and movement.

I can see how this term is applicable in Farzanna Haniffa (2008) article titled Piety as Politics amongst Muslim Women in Contemporary Sri Lanka. The article give me general understanding that discussing about Islam and Muslim identity as an individual is not only related to the idea of being a pious Muslim in relation to other Muslims in the society. But also, this identity is associated with communal identity in conducting a community movement that deal with social, cultural, economical, and political problems. In addition, the identity formation is changing coinciding with the dynamic of personal and social experience levels. In order to spread their identity and position their existent in struggling for meaning in a wider field, Muslims use media and cultural representation to voice what they are arguing and working, such as clothes, music, and literary works. Therefore, in understanding any identity representations and social movements, social, cultural, economical, and political background should be taken into account.

Haniffa (2008) portrayed how Muslim women of Al Muslimaat shape their identities as good Muslim selfhood, and elaborated the methods they employ to preserve “certain gender and ethnic power balances” for carrying out da’wa (preaching) activities. He also has analyzed how gender identity is being formed to emphasize the movement of Al Muslimaat as a women’s da’wa group in the center of a number of social group led mostly by male leader (p.348). Al Muslimaat is a women’s activity that mobilize Muslim housewives in the semi-urban Colombo neighbourhood of Dehiwela (p.356). According to Al Muslimaat, the piety that is represented by wearing hijab and the abhaya must be accomplished by “learning the rules of proper practice, unlearning what was considered orthodoxy under a different regime of knowledge, and conveying that knowledge to one’s family and peers in a manner that maintains community networks and does not unduly disturb gender norms” (p.358). From this example I can see how one identity has close connection to the place located.


Sources:
Haniffa, Farzana. "Piety as Politics Amongst Muslim Women in Contemporary Sri Lanka." Modern Asian Studies 42, no. 2/3, Islam in South Asia (2008): 347-75.
Chandra Talpade Mohanty, “Under Western Eyes”
Grewal and Kaplan, "Introduction: Transnational Feminist Practices and Questions of Postmodernity" in Scattered Hegemonies.
Karen Caplan, “Politics of Location as Transnational Practice” in Scattered Hegemonies.


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