Final answer:
The author of "Hair, Beards, and Power: Taking It on the Chin" discusses facial hair grooming trends and their cultural significance, including the ways in which hairstyles can represent social status, religious beliefs, and political power.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the article "Hair, Beards, and Power: Taking It on the Chin", the author is referring to facial hair grooming trends. The discussion revolves around the cultural importance of hair, including its role in indicating social status, religious beliefs, and even cultural identity. For instance, specific hairstyles and grooming practices can symbolize membership in a religious sect, racial affiliation, and alignment with pop cultural trends. In traditional Muslim cultures, the hijab is a representation of modesty that has become an icon of Middle Eastern tradition and culture. Likewise, in African and African diasporic cultures, hairstyles are significant and symbolize various aspects of one's identity and social standing. During the Manchu rule in China, the mandatory wearing of a distinctive hairstyle served as a demonstration of acceptance of Manchu rule, emphasizing the political power struggle aspect as well. Hair and its grooming, throughout history, have often been entangled with the exertion of cultural and political power.