Photo: Ed Wray for The New York Times

As far as political symbols go, the headscarf has been one of the most enduring symbols of cultural conflict worldwide. 
 
In Turkey, the turban serves as symbol of the clash between the old secular elite and the new conservative elite. Across Europe the burqa has come to represent challenges of cultural assimilation.

In today's New York Times Norimitsu Onishi reports on the role the jilbab is playing in the current Indonesian election.