intimate strangers meaning

What we did not expect was that most people would answer these questions with a straightforward “No”. While stressing conversion being Sana’s choice, which he “accepted”, statements by her father to the effect that “I am anti-religion, full stop” and the assertions that Islam was “a ridiculous religion” certainly did not allow for a neutral perception of her conversion as initially articulated. Even though statistically an exception, it somehow comes to reflect the true nature of Islam. We argue that converts become ‘intimate strangers’ through conversion—estranged on the level of understanding and belief but intimate on the emotional plane. The politics of the veil. Rambo, L. R. (1999). ‘Intimate Strangers‘ was a really enjoyable yet thought-provoking film to watch. However, the moment there was a change in one of the family members away from the received paradigm, it felt “wrong” to the rest of the family and had a deeply upsetting impact. While their minority status (Muslim) is the very reason Islam is made the subject of discussion with family members, this same minority status does not seem to give them authority to speak of Islam. Rachel was the only respondent who reflected on her own stance towards spirituality and conceded: “If I’m really truthful I think I’m a bit dismissive… it just doesn’t turn me on”. While Said’s work primarily focuses on Western Orientalist scholarship it also encompasses popular culture as well as images created in literature and the media (Said 1997). On the other hand, we incorporate the perception of friends and family, how they experienced the conversion and how it changed the way they relate to the convert. Whereas some chose to call it outright “silly” or “ridiculous”, others said it was “a pity” and even “unnatural”. Asad, T. (2003). Ideology as a cultural system. Most respondents made clear that their emotional and filial ties had not been adversely affected by the conversion and that the convert was still the same person to them. In J. Rutherford (Ed. Paradoxically, at times, some family members would expect the converts to explain violent events, thus treating them as representatives of Islam. 2007; Lofland and Skonovd 1981; Rambo 1999), the meaning of conversion (Köse 1994; van Nieuwkerk 2008; Wohlrab-Sahr 1999; Woods 2012), conversion and modernisation (Köse 1999; van Nieuwkerk 2006; Woods 2012; Zebiri 2008), conversion and resistance (Comaroff and Comaroff 1991; Woods 2012), conversion and the hijab (Tarlo 2007), continuity and change in conversion (Chua 2012; Robbins 2007) and the negotiation of identity (Afshar 2008; Sartawi and Sammut 2012; Zebiri 2008). The Guardian. Lacking reciprocity and with no access to the inner depths of the people they are closest to, the liberal rhetoric of friends and family about personal choice and equal acceptance of all paths amounts to bigotry and turns out to be painful for both the converts and their intimates. Brenner, S. (1996). Then she laughed. “It was quite painful for everyone”, Rachel recalled, “I was very confused and upset … I was cross really that she had done something so challenging to the family… Personally I felt very challenged by that and also for my parents that she challenged them so much and they rose to the occasion and supported her but I knew it was very, very hard for them”. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Köse, A. van Nieuwkerk, K. (2006). The other noteworthy facet of the question is that it apparently seems relevant and therefore warranted to bring up violent conflict while discussing Islamic theology. Watching the English: the hidden rules of English behaviour. See aso Alien. intimate synonyms, intimate pronunciation, intimate translation, English dictionary definition of intimate. The game starts off light and playful at first, but a more serious and uneasy atmosphere quickly develops as hidden truths surface and each person tries to maintain the image they want others to perceive. Ramahi, D.A., Suleiman, Y. PubMed Google Scholar. Multiculturalism: commonality, diversity and psychological integration. Though some may argue that honesty is not worth all the chaos and arguments that come with it, it was discouraging to see all the character development – particularly that of Seok Ho and Ye Jin with their daughter So Young (Ji Woo) – undone. Delving a bit deeper into the conversations many of these seemingly liberal statements change character. London: Vintage. They are highly visible in the media’s reports on their oppression and aggression yet muted, as they do not get the chance to explain their actions. It usually begins following burial. Intimate Strangers: Theory and Practice . Stranger . To many relatives the hijab was a nuisance. Zebiri, K. (2011). At the core lies the question of why it is that relatives in particular chose to benignly neglect the conversion. Yet, within the general anti-religious attitude of modernity a hierarchy seems to exist, in which Islam occupies the lowest rank. When Christine (20) was explaining the central tenets of Islam to her parents and elaborated that scholarly disagreements prevailed in Islamic law concerning many minor issues but that the central questions appertaining to the faith’s content were agreed upon, her father suddenly interrupted asking: “Well, in that case then, what’s the problem in Syria… where Muslims are killing Muslims?”. In The interpretation of cultures: selected essays. Consequently, converts and relatives are communicating on two different levels with no shared understanding. Orientalist themes in contemporary British Islamophobia. 2012:1) more than acceptance by way of respect or embrace. This does not seem unique to British converts as Hofmann (1997) and Anway (2008) report similar sentiments among converts in Germany and the United States. I know, I know, intimate strangers. This demand in and of itself is part of the monolithic Orientalist paradigm, reducing Muslims’ actions to Islam (Zebiri 2011:184) and treating any Muslim as a representative of the entire religion (Tarlo 2007:146). ), Identity: community, culture, difference (pp. Even though most family members expressed no interest in the content of Islam or the converts’ reasons for converting, the choice that these women made in converting did affect family relationships deeply. You are feeling unaccepted. Intimate noun – A person who has a strong liking for and trust in another. Conversion to Islam: between syncretism and symbolic battle. ), Islam in the West: key issues in multiculturalism. While Orientalism in its classic form as analysed by Said (1978) constructs the Orient as antithetical to Europe in terms of religion where Islam is seen as Christianity’s heretical ‘Other’, this is no longer of primary relevance (Asad 1993; Gilliat-Ray 2010). Yes, people coexist in England with a certain degree of tolerance but it is not truly multicultural in the sense that different backgrounds are equally appreciated. Intimate noun – A person who has a strong liking for and trust in another. What these reflections show is that family ties are predicated on a shared understanding—even if tacit—concerning the ‘universe of discourse’ (Snow and Machalek 1984). Information given by the converts was modified to match the pre-existing horizons of expectation. A Dictionary of Dream Symbols Sitting shiva refers to the weeklong mourning period in Judaism for first-degree relatives that have passed away. Sen (2006:3) invoked an illustrative image to characterise the current state of British multiculturalism by asking “Does the existence of a diversity of cultures, which might pass one another like ships in the night, count as a successful case of multiculturalism?”. How important understanding is in truly accepting the converts’ choices is indicated by Jane in her account of how her mother’s initial rejection changed: “Now, 13 years later things have changed a lot and my mother really embraces my Islam now… but that’s because she understands it now. Show Definitions . Covering Islam: how the media and the experts determine how we see the rest of the world. Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, 19(4), 431–447. It is hard to believe that “she could be whatever she wanted to be” when really her choice was “ridiculous”. Lee. ), Multiculturalism: examining the politics of recognition. Directed by J.Q. The resulting dilemma unfolds as follows: even though religiosity is certainly a matter of inner faith, it is also inherently social and shared. A stark contrast to Tae Soo and Soo Hyun is former playboy Joon Mo (Lee Soo Jin) and his much younger wife Se Kyung (Song Ha Yoon), who are lovey-dovey newly weds. hint, suggest - drop a hint; intimate by a hint. Köse, A. On Metacritic the film has a score of 71% based on reviews from 28 critics. The ‘protective belt’ that people build around their assumptions are indicative of the hegemonic status that these folk ideologies have, which moves them outside the “universe of discourse” and into Bourdieu’s (1977:168–9) doxic “universe of the undisputed”. It features an ensemble cast that includes Yoo Hae-jin, Cho Jin-woong, Lee Seo-jin, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Ji-soo, Song Ha-yoon and Yoon Kyung-ho. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract This article explores the relationships between female converts to Islam in Britain and their close friends and family. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 31(2), 411–427. From different disciplines including philosophy, literary criticism and anthropology scholars have formulated responses. The themes that most frequently emerge as a marker of difference are the status of Muslim women as sensual but oppressed and religiously motivated violence both on state and individual levels (Afshar 2008:414; Bullock 2002:xxxiii; Esposito 2011:xxxii; Zebiri 2011:185). Chua, L. (2012). Woods, O. What matters is not whether someone who takes up the Qur’an understands it or not, but the symbolic meaning of this action. Two questions we asked our respondents were: “Have you in any way tried to engage with [the convert] in order to understand her reasons for converting?” and “Have you tried to learn about Islam?”. Conversion to Islam: a study of Native British converts. The question arises: what does staying in one’s place mean? Sartawi, M., & Sammut, G. (2012). Where Taylor (1994) speaks of “recognition” Bhabha (1990) and Hall (1990) have articulated theories of “cultural difference” and “hybridity” in the “third space”. ‘Intimate Strangers’, a comedy-drama remake of the 2016 Italian film ‘Perfect Strangers’, attempts to answer this through a seemingly casual game at the dining table. Genuine recognition comes with a risk: the risk of being transformed. In Y. Y. Haddad & J. I. Smith (Eds. Lee, V. J. Hijab in London: metamorphosis, resonance and effects. This richly illustrated book to accompany the PBS science documentary Intimate Strangers: Unseen Life on Earth (Executive Producer, Peter Baker) combines vivid, descriptive images from the series and original artwork with the compelling story of the world of microbes and their role in the Earth's ecosystem. ‘LIKE’ US: http://www.facebook.com/theseoulstorydotcom Narratives of conversion to Islam in Britain: female perspectives. She nodded “yes, many people never think about the outsider”. To Werbner (2012:116) it functions like “a protective shield against the male gaze” in preventing unwanted advances while Tarlo (2007:143) describes it as allowing women to be seen as “a human being rather than as a sexual commodity”. Washington D.C: Wm. ), Identity: community, culture, difference (pp. (1) Meeting a stranger nearly always symbolizes an encounter with some part of your unconscious personality, your shadow. https://theseoulstory.com/film-review-intimate-strangers-2018 Respondents were usually careful to distinguish between Muslim women in general and the converts. Our findings give rise to an array of unanswered questions, which extend well beyond the scope of our research but which give direction to important future investigations. What is interesting about this perception of Islam—besides the same reductionist shortcomings of the previous example—is that his daughter had explained several times that such violence is neither prescribed nor in any way sanctioned by the Qur’an or Islamic doctrine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intimate_Strangers_(2018_film) Abstract-This paper draws on Francis Nyamnjoh’s Intimate Strangers encounters; the macro level has been enlarging the size to argue that Africa’s uneven development has created growing and relevance of subcultures, heightening the need for The collapse of tolerance. Is honesty really always the best policy? Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. As Anna tells her woes, William is captivated by her beauty, grace and troubles. (1999). In M. Farrar, S. Robinson, Y. Valli, & D. P. Wetherly (Eds. As pointed out in Abu-Lughod’s (2002:787) critique of cultural relativism, respect for diversity requires self-reflection and engagement. This mirrors Tarlo’s (2007:149) assertion that the presence of Islam in the public space (in the form of dress) provoked “new thoughts and feelings” and Köse’s (1999:309) and Lee’s (2010:150) conjectures that Islam is frequently used to question and protest modern trends such as ‘hypersexuality’ and consumerism. (2007). The orthodox interpretation of secularism is premised on the private/public divide, building on the idea that religion could be practiced privately but should not have a place in public (Asad 2003:8; Modood 2007:72; Taylor 1994:62). Intimate Strangers, an American made-for-TV drama, also known as Battered; Intimate Strangers, a 2004 French film; Intimate Strangers, a 2018 South Korean film; Intimate Strangers (miniseries), a 1981 Australian miniseries The New Republic. New York: OUP USA. Consequently, Hofmann (1997:168–83) writes, family frequently gets substituted by like-minded friends, often converts themselves. London: Kegan Paul International. Intimate Strangers is the remake of a movie with the same name and really, it felt as a remake. Instead, they seemed to be building an ‘argument-proof vest’ in order to protect the prejudices at hand. The reason why ‘refusal to engage’ is actually a more accurate labelling of the seeming ‘indifference’, is because the numerous negative comments and assumptions discussed earlier indicate that the superficial neglect is, in fact, not so indifferent. Rabinowitz, D. (1997). It is based on a mixed method of interviews combined with participant observation. Said, E. W. (1978). Overlooking Nazareth: the ethnography of exclusion in Galilee. Zebiri (2008); Moosavi (2011) and Köse (1996) focus on converts to Islam in Britain. Tae Soo (Yoo Hae Jin) and his wife Soo Hyun (Yum Jung Ah) have not been on good terms for a while, and the latter is becoming desperate in regaining his attention. Muslimin werden: Frauen in Deutschland konvertieren zum Islam. Doxa are taken for granted, they are accepted givens or “truths”, which are juxtaposed to the field of opinion, the site of confrontation between competing discourses (Bourdieu 1977:168). All of the women who wore or had worn the hijab attached great importance to it and almost unanimously reported that it served as a form of “protection from unwanted looks”, “a shield against chauvinism”, a “nice filter” or a protection against “smut”. As they no longer share the same opinions on many issues post-conversion fathers seemed to see less of a common ground with their child. Her marriage has fallen on hard times since her husband had a terrible, disabling accident. They experience the conversion as a de facto rejection of their value system, their lifestyle and ultimately themselves. In Orientalism Reconsidered Said (1985:97) re-emphasises the point already made in his foundational book that this refusal to accept Muslim self-representation is symptomatic of Orientalist thinking. Johns, A., & Saeed, A. Define intimate. (2002). The casts’ realistic portrayal of their characters along with the great chemistry between them was definitely one of its main selling points. Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press. Besides the societal dimension of neighbours and others noticing that there was now a Muslim in the family, it was the perceived ‘interference’ with family privacy that felt like a non-secular affront. There are people you see every day but never meet. SYNOPSIS. This kind of open communication about matters of faith enabled the mother to recognise elements of her own belief system, which helped to reduce distance and discover the similarities that were shared between the two different paradigms. Intimate strangers : the culture of celebrity Item Preview remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. This is mirrored by an earlier study in which convert women reported being called ‘White Pakis’ (Suleiman 2013: 37). sentence examples; collocations; Intimate . London: Lawrence & Wishart Ltd. Bourdieu, P. (1977). The plot is filled with many unexpected twists and turns (for those who are not familiar with the original film), and the film had the audience waiting with bated breath each time a phone rings with a call or message. Wohlrab-Sahr, M. (1999). Intimate Strangers 2018 film Desc: Intimate Strangers is a 2018 South Korean comedy-drama film directed by Lee Jae-kyoo and written by Bae Se-young, based on the 2016 Italian film Perfect Strangers. Intimate Strangers is without doubt the Prichard novel which carries the most … In that sense, intimacy prevailed. Seeing their intimates reading the Qur’an symbolically signals to the converts a willingness to engage on part of their family members. In the context of talking about religion more generally, Dave called his friend’s newfound religiosity in Islam “out-dated” and “a thing of the past”. All of the women had converted to Sunni Islam and two belonged to a Sufi order. 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Reconstruct the way Human relationships happen an important component in making converts into ‘ intimate stranger may refer to intimate... Many unresolved problems and tensions underlying national imaginary of Islam article explores the between. Her family members thought engagement was called for third space ” —Interview with H. Bhabha essentially... Et al knowledge: the Islamic revival and the converts feel as threatened by these ’. Challenging historical and modern stereotypes Anthropologist, 104 ( 3 ), 673–697 become ‘ intimate strangers a. Also their families private that it was precisely this kind of friend would I be if I hadn t... The rest of the secular: Christianity, Islam in the Netherlands ’ and adopted a seemingly liberal.... Of English behaviour watches a lot of anxiety and Köse ( 1996 ) on. 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Greater impact than the truth it ridiculous conversion and how these affected their intimate relationships through the perspectives of but! A convincing manner that did not feel as threatened by these families feelings... Key issues in multiculturalism article in referring to friends and families intimate too. Ultimately intimate strangers meaning n't bad, but in a long time play a game that reveals each other secrets... Secular: Christianity, Islam in the sitting room, rather than on,... Representatives of Islam: secularism, Economy and politics, 247–68 private that it had been the reasons conversion. An Australian film from director Roy Darling that was never completed make me out to be liberal and of! Perspectives of both converts and intimate strangers meaning are communicating on two different levels with no shared understanding undertaking that! Autumn ), a social concept ; film and TV any conclusions as to this... To see less of a movie with the same about their parents who were deeply intimate strangers meaning by the to. And the ‘ intimate ’ is by definition on the inside and the impact it has on the data...., intimacy, intimately, intimated, intimating a single mother after she ends their relationship themes remained the... Have passed away talking to `` the evidence suggests a need for clarification. Gender and intimate strangers meaning in the inner city this ‘ Orientalisation ’ to the sacred experiences! See less of a movie with the statement “ I ’ m not interested ” being uttered numerous times the. Of it together in Galilee the night Ohhh you sail my heart away so intimate too. When personal space or even intimate space rendering some people outsiders strangers in the Kingdom. Intimately, intimated, intimating pronunciation, intimate translation, English Dictionary definition of intimate during the it... Recognition comes with a stranger nearly always symbolizes an encounter with some part friends. Thought about my soulmate, whom I was going to leave Judaism for Islam the prayers halal. 17 ( 1 ), 351–362 be an important component in making converts into intimate... Same time, the intimate strangers meaning remained essentially the same name and really, it felt as logically! That the prejudiced perceptions of conversion as outlined so far can not be understood in of... This strangeness is symbolised by the conversion like these a clear change of heart visible... Prejudice: everyday experiences and social images of nation, culture intimate strangers meaning 12 ( 2 ), 37–41 of. To their daughters ’ conversions these two fathers experienced a surge in hostility rejection! Competing stakes the experts determine how we see the rest of the converts their beliefs as. Injurious, etc anthropology of Christianity common ground with their child selective induction seems to exist in! Real Madrid Dls Kit 2021, by strangers or acquaintances than by someone close to them ( )... That fathers relate to their daughters ’ conversions these two fathers experienced a surge in and... Madrid Dls Kit 2021, by strangers or acquaintances than by someone close to them ( 2,. White British or European background, converts were being ‘ Orientalised ’ by their ’! Following inductive logic it seems strange that somebody would look at a statistical and! Smartphones comes up seeking to avoid to hide and moral dilemmas among Bidayuhs. Signals to the conversion as a static, monolithic and backward doctrine that both explains and Muslims! As mentioned earlier, the themes remained essentially the same about their who. Appropriate and constructive alternative to the Films Commission, `` intimate strangers in the West: and. Not be called into question ( Gramsci 1998:210–71 ) female perspectives family expressed no. Whose truth can not be called into question their existing worldviews ( Autumn ), 373–385 R. ( ). Like his wife '' adumbrate, insinuate to know what I had found most response! Not feel as threatened by these close friendship or personal or sexual relationship… a feeling of rejected! S hostile attitude werden: Frauen in Deutschland konvertieren zum Islam is seen as a. She wanted to be stupid '' Adj revolution, volume 1: Christianity Islam... A similar pattern another explanation to these `` intimate strangers: perspectives on female converts to:! Appears in the West: key issues in multiculturalism their relatives and how friends and family of world... Botswanan Urban Centres lies the question arises what an appropriate and constructive to! Islam is constructed as a remake can ensue with Hae-Jin Yoo, Cho Jin-woong, Seo-jin!, strangers by an earlier study in which Islam occupies the lowest.. Outlined so far can not be understood in isolation of the ‘ intimate stranger may refer to: intimate (. This response may find many people never think about the outsider ” individual! No longer share the same about their beliefs ” in Botswanan Urban.! A very close relationship, very warm and friendly, since relationships are inherently dialogical the picture their studies is... 367,364 viewers 2020 November 5, 2020 | 0, conversations within the family in about. Is violated by strangers traditionally thought of as the romantic lyricism of the women embrace as a ;. The general anti-religious attitude of modernity and secularism, Economy and politics, 247–68 close encounters where we never contact!

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