Ratthinan, Senutha P. and Selamat, Nor Hafizah
(2019)
Negotiating Travel Constraints via Technology: A Study of
Malay Muslim Women through a Hierarchical Constraint
Model Perspective.
Asian Journal of Business Research, 9 (2).
pp. 55-75.
ISSN 2463-4522
Abstract
As a moderate Muslim nation, the mobility of Malay Muslim women in Malaysia is
not legally restricted by the state. However, their movements are constrained by
factors such as their roles, responsibilities, and the need to preserve values related to
their religious and custom requirements. These constraints are shaped by patriarchal
gender norms where women are expected to be obedient to a system of
institutionalized male power. Our paper seeks to understand the constraints subjected
to Malay Muslim women in travelling for leisure and study how they negotiate those
constraints using technology. Based on ten qualitative, in-depth interviews conducted
with Malay Muslim women aged between 22 to 37 years old, the findings showed
that women are gaining the support, trust and freedom to travel via technology. Using
the Hierarchical Constraint Model, the findings indicate that culture is significant
wherein several constraints faced by MMW differ from those faced by Western or
other Asian women. The new insights generated from this paper are unique as they
reflect on the unexplored segment of Asian women where Malay Muslim women are
becoming the testament of transformation. The finding indicates their departure from
the gendered patriarchy norms as technology becomes their tool to negotiate
constraints while facilitating the growth of female travel market. A significant
association between travel constraints and negotiation illustrates that women are
empowered by using technology to travel
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