Beauty or the Beast? Women’s Physical Appearance and Academic Achievements in Iran

Abstract: This article explores perceptions of Iranian academics of the relationship between women’s physical appearance and academic achievements. The research is conducted using interviews with academics working in different universities in the field of social sciences. Results included individual and structural explanations of the relationship between women’s physical appearance and academic achievements. Data showed a […]

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Kill Me but Make Me Beautiful: Beauty Practices in Contemporary Iran

Beauty and body management are important aspects of women’s everyday life in Iran (as I imagine in many other contexts). The phenomenon of cosmetic surgeries especially has been alarmingly growing in the past few decades. The cosmetic market is saturated with ads featuring tiny and ‘corrected’ noses. The medical industry seems to be welcoming the […]

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Are Educated Women Ugly?

Months ago, in a class of my doctorate program, a male classmate and the professor started a discussion about educated women’s relative ugliness claiming that women who enter higher education are uglier than the less educated. After participation in this debate, I wondered if women are always judged by their appearances regardless of their accomplishments. […]

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