Lazrak, Ostiane
Veiled women at Sciences Po. The handling of stigma and professional integration
- 2019.
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Hijab controversies have been momentous in the making of an “Islamic problem”, which leads to an ever-increasing exclusion of visibly Muslim women from several areas of the public sphere. Their access to employment is one of the most critical dimensions of this exclusion. This paper investigates how the headscarf operates as a stigma for students of Sciences Po with respect to occupational integration. Secluded by law from the civil service, to which Sciences Po traditionally leads, they also face discriminations in the corporate sector, starting with student jobs, first interviews, or internships. In a highly constrained environment, they contrive a variety of strategies in managing this stigma, at the time they make their first career plans.