Abstract

This article examines the employability of the hijab wearing
women in Kazakhstan. The aim of this investigation is to analyze how hijab wearing and religious identity influence on women’s work prospects and the negotiation around her appearance as a symbol of culture and religion. Despite the plethora of research exploring the meanings and functions of hijab in society, very little research on discrimination towards hijabis in the workplace could be found. The importance of this topic is revealed by the fact that many Kazakh hijabis encounter difficulties finding a job in Kazakhstan owing to their appearance, despite the general understanding that work discrimination based on religion is unfair. The first section of the study is dedicated to the theoretical framework discussing the hijab and its relation to employment from relational demography theory of Ghumman and the concept of Hebl in identifying what kind of discrimination hijabis encounter. This will be complemented by a survey that examines the case of four Kazakh hijab-wearing women. The final section will interpret the findings, concluding that religious attire puts hijab wearing women into a dilemma between work and faith in Kazakhstan.