The power and politics of embodying dancehall: Reconciling sonic affect and the religious self in Singapore

Publication Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

9-2024

Abstract

This chapter argues that the embodiment of dancehall culture in Singapore can lead to emancipation from, and tensions within, the religious self. Dancehall, a cultural movement that emerged in Jamaica in the late 1970s, encapsulates a distinct style of music, dance, dress, and attitude that has become known for hyper-sexualized representations of the gendered body. The embodiment of dancehall culture in Singapore found particular appeal amongst Malay-Muslim youths. For them, the sonic affectiveness of dancehall provides a performative channel through which they can engage with their bodies in ways that subvert the conservative prescriptions of their ethno-religious community. It enables them to realize gendered and sexual freedoms which must, however, be negotiated within the broader context of community surveillance.

Keywords

bodies, performance, Malay-Muslim youth, sexuality, Singapore

Discipline

Asian Studies | Religion

Research Areas

Integrative Research Areas

Publication

Religious sounds: Senses, media and acoustemology of the post-secular

Editor

LOREA, Carola; HACKETT, Rosalind

First Page

233

Last Page

246

ISBN

9789463726160

Identifier

10.5117/9789463726269_CH11

Publisher

Amsterdam University Press

City or Country

Amsterdam

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.5117/9789463726269_CH11

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