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 […]
I am often asked about Iran and the lives of Iranian women, especially why they are overeducated when compared to Iranian men. Seems to me that what surprises people (mostly in the West) about women’s situation in Iran, is not because the facts are so fabulous or astonishing per se; it is more because they […]
In the past few days, there have been massive demonstrations and protests in Iran (incl. my hometown(s)) that have been perceived as ‘anti-regime’ protests by many worldwide. I come from different ethnic and lingual backgrounds, and I have connections in the capital, as well as the provinces where these protests have been taking place. I […]
I had discussed elsewhere that in contemporary Iranian society, sexuality is regulated by traditional cultural restrictions, prohibitions, taboos, and indirect regulations due to the country’s traditional and highly religious culture. The traditional restrictions on cross-sex associations are one of the many limitations that regulate the relationship between the sexes. Studies of sexuality in the context […]
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 […]
This study investigated Iranian female amateur riders’ experiences and perceptions of horse riding in a sport arena largely appropriated by men. Despite women’s growing participation in sport in Iran, sports are considered male domains and there are still ongoing debates over women’s participation, dress code, and limitations on bodily movements and representations in sports arenas. […]
This article addresses Iranian women in higher education and their contemporary position in academia in Iran. By systematically reviewing available academic and official databases on women’s positions in academia published online or in print, the question is raised if women’s current position and role in academia is the result of personal choice-making or an existent […]
In contemporary Iranian society, sexuality is regulated by traditional cultural restrictions, prohibitions, taboos, and indirect regulations due to the country’s traditional and highly religious culture. The traditional restrictions on cross-sex associations are one of the many limitations that regulate the relationship between the sexes. Socialization processes are gendered as a consequence of there being different […]
Iranian sociological streams and trends are, as in some other eastern countries, deeply affected and dominated by western scholars’ thoughts and theories. The centers, which are variable relative to the peripheral contexts, export theories and approaches, in the case of Iran, mostly through translation of American and British books and articles, for which we provide […]
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. […]