National Identity between Globalized Consumer Culture and Islamic Values

Abstract

Abstract

This study examines national identity in the context of globalized consumer culture and Islamic values. It aims to analyse the impact of consumer culture on national identity, explore the relationship between national identity and global consumer culture, and highlight the role of Islamic values in countering consumerist tendencies and safeguarding national awareness. The study adopts both the descriptive-analytical and inductive approaches.

The findings reveal that national identity derives its value and legitimacy from Islam, which serves as its epistemological, ethical, and social foundation. Any national project that overlooks the Islamic dimension remains incomplete and inconsistent with the nature of Muslim societies. The study also finds that global consumer culture exerts pressure on weaker identities, while firmly rooted identities remain resilient. Islamic identity possesses distinctive strength and authenticity that provide both individuals and societies with value-based immunity against cultural invasion.

Furthermore, the promotion of consumer culture has, in some Muslim societies, contributed to the erosion of cultural specificity and weakened cultural resistance, leading to the imitation of Western lifestyles and patterns. This, in turn, imposes profound pressures on the identity of Muslim individuals, often resulting in the adoption of foreign cultural norms.

The study recommends that researchers conduct specialized studies addressing the specific effects of consumer culture on particular social groups, such as women, low-income populations, and intellectuals within society