En kvalitativ studie om identitetsskapande, religiösa uttryck och omgivningens förväntningar : En tematisk textanalys av den fiktiva romanen Ser mitt huvud tjockt ut i den här?

Sammanfattning

This study examines representations of religious identity and Islamophobia in Randa Abdel‑Fattah’s novel Ser mitt huvud tjockt ut i den här?. Grounded in prior research on primarily Islam, the hijab, the school’s role, identity formation, and “us–them” dynamics, the analysis investigates how Amal’s religious identity is portrayed and reshaped after she decides to wear the hijab full‑time. The study is guided by three research questions: 1) How is Amal’s identity portrayed?, 2) How do surrounding attitudes shape her religious identity? and 3) In what ways do Islamophobic assumptions affect her self‑image? An inductive, qualitative thematic text analysis is applied, drawing on Anthony Giddens’s and Henri Tajfel’s theories of identity to capture processes at both micro and macro levels. Findings indicate that Amal’s religious identity is situationally constituted: the hijab operates as a personal religious expression and a visible social marker that frequently prompts categorization, exclusion, and pressures to conform from school, peers and family members. The novel shows how Islamophobic and stereotypical representations creep into everyday interactions, shaping Amal’s self‑perception and social positioning. The study contributes to literary and didactic discussions about Muslim youth representation by demonstrating how fiction can illuminate the interplay between individual agency and structural norms. Results underscore the relevance of incorporating such narratives in educational contexts to problematize stereotypes, foster critical reflection on media representations, and support more inclusive classroom practices.