ABSTRACT
Using pilgrimage as a rich site of inquiry into symbolic, spiritual and material consumption, and through an (auto)ethnographic account, the author provides interesting insights on identity and issues of authenticity in the context of religious consumption. The research adopts the epistemological belief that women can possess and share valuable knowledge and, thus, research can start from the perspective of women. The author draws on her own experiences as well as those of others to provide an understanding of consumption practices from the perspective of a European Muslim female within the framework of Islam or/and Islamic culture.
This chapter discusses the intersection of religion, identity, gender and consumption within the context of a Muslim pilgrimage. The purpose of studying consumption during a pilgrimage is to broaden our understanding of religious material, culture and consumption. Concerns about epistemology and methodology should be central to critical inquiries into the intersection between Islam, marketing and consumption. The chapter explores issues that critical marketing may have overlooked due to a lack of familiarity with Muslim sociocultural contexts. Pilgrimages are a feature of all major world religions and spiritual movements and more secular realms. They play a central role in Islamic orthodoxy and orthopraxy. Using pilgrimage as a rich site of inquiry into symbolic, spiritual and material consumption, and through an autoethnographic account, the author provides interesting insights on identity and issues of authenticity in the context of religious consumption. Autoethnography is an autobiographical genre of writing and research that displays multiple layers of consciousness, connecting the personal to the cultural.
