The social construction of Halal food in Singapore

Abstract

This paper explores how Halal food is socially constructed by exploring Singaporean Muslims’ views of what makes food Halal beyond the lens of Durkheim’s binary of the sacred (Halal) and profane (Haram). We argue that it is not just the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore’s (MUIS) certificate and other similar tangible materialistic factors that determine what people deem as Halal. Instead, it involves negotiating intangible and internal factors such as one’s emotions of desire. Additionally, through focus group discussions and participant observations, we highlight parallel steps Muslim individuals take in this negotiation of Halal.

This research has broad significance for the sociology of consumption and the study of religious identity. Consumption patterns make up an individual’s religious and non-religious identity. Despite similarities in the process of conceptualising Halal, our research also uncovers how the differing extent of this negotiation of Halal creates individualised identities within the Muslim community. These individualised identities then impact standards of Halal assurance needed for consumption, giving rise to alternative forms of certification.