Sociology
Zohre Omidipour; Ali Rajabloo; sosan bastani
Abstract
IntroductionAs Iran confronted Western modernity and the resulting discursive conflicts, women, their identity, and their living conditions emerged as one of the most significant subjects of attention. This led to a wide range of discourse about them, turning women into a focal point of contention. The ...
Read More
IntroductionAs Iran confronted Western modernity and the resulting discursive conflicts, women, their identity, and their living conditions emerged as one of the most significant subjects of attention. This led to a wide range of discourse about them, turning women into a focal point of contention. The present article examines the discourses formed around the axis of women in the writings of the Constitutional era, utilizing the method of critical discourse analysis to explore the formulation of the modern woman subject in the prominent discourses of this period. The aim of this research is to understand the meaning of the modern woman subject in each of the discourses of the Constitutional era and the ideologies that govern them. It also investigates the position of each discourse and their status within the dominant discourse.MethodologyThe present study is based on a qualitative approach. The method used in this research is discourse analysis, and it is carried out according to Norman Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis. In his comprehensive discourse analytical approach, a multidimensional framework is designed for analysis that can cover the interactions between text and context. Following his method, we have organized this research into three stages: First stage: Description; in this stage, we have extracted the formal features of the text, namely the textual structure, vocabulary indicating positive and negative value meanings, as well as syntactic structure. Second stage: Interpretation. In this stage, we have followed the interpretation of texts in two steps: first, the structural interpretation of the text, and second, the interpretation of the text’s context. In structural interpretation, we have extracted the propositions and semantic episodes of the texts about women and the semantic structure of the text. In the second aspect, we have dealt with the interpretation of the text’s context, what Fairclough calls intertextuality. Third stage: Explanation; in this stage, we have moved beyond the semantic networks of texts and ventured outside the text to study the social structure and the context of discourses, as well as their effects on the social fabric. In the current research, the target population is written, and oral texts published from the Constitutional Revolution period until before the establishment of the Pahlavi government. The sampling method in this research is purposeful.FindingThe findings of the research indicate that each of the discourses examined in contemporary Iranian history defines the modern woman in a specific way. The constructed meanings of the modern woman in each discourse are in opposition to other discourses. Specifically, the subject of the modern woman is positioned against social traditions. In the progressive discourse, this subject is constructed as a “demanding and critical woman.” In progressive discourse, “gender equality” is the main category, and other categories such as changing the hijab, women’s education, political and social rights, criticism of marriage traditions, and efforts to resemble European women… are centered around it. The subject of the modern woman in traditional discourse is constructed as a “Europeanized and unrestrained woman,” which is not accepted and is rejected. The social discourses and actions are organized to marginalize it. In this discourse, the concern for the purity of religion and its empowerment is prominent, and the discussion of the inherent inequality between men and women in Sharia law aims to discredit the central proposition of progressive discourse about women. The subject of the traditional woman is the desired subject, which stands against the subject constructed by modernism. This desired subject has specific discursive elements and nuances and is known as a “chaste woman” and “woman of integrity,” associated with the “inner household” and “diligent in performing feminine roles.” In the integrative discourse, the modern woman is defined as an “educated, Sharia-compliant, and duty-centered woman.” The woman deemed desirable in this discourse stands against both the traditional woman and the modern (Europeanized) woman. The modern woman in this discourse is one who acquires elements such as education as a modern category but maintains her traditional roles under the protection of Sharia law and uses the knowledge she learns to better perform her defined duties, preventing the reproduction of traditional gender stereotypes and cultural poverty (sorcery, superstition, and fortune-telling) through proper upbringing of her children. By performing these duties correctly, she contributes to her own advancement and that of her homeland.Conclusion The integrative discourse, by drawing from certain traditional concepts and propositions as well as some modern ones in its discursive articulation, has placed at the center of its narrative a woman who, without conflict with religious and customary elements and even in alignment with some of them such as the hijab and feminine duties, has critiqued social traditions, particularly in the areas of illiteracy and social and cultural poverty. It has sought to persuade its general and specific audiences by prioritizing Islamic Sharia in justifying the opposition to traditions such as the prohibition of women and girls from new education. In this discourse, neither the modern woman nor the traditional woman is completely rejected or affirmed. While the traditional discourse was concerned with the purity of religion, the integrative discourse has highlighted the empowerment of religion as its concern. Despite efforts to delegitimize the traditional and customary social structure, due to the focus on more accessible goals and the absence of explicit confrontations with the traditions relied upon by most of the society, and by applying the concept of progress in a local context and according to the requirements of place and time, it has found a better position. The discourse of modernity, despite entering Iranian society with categories of progress, advancement, and transformation of women’s status from a Western perspective, failed to gain a significant position in the social fabric of Iranian society and garner public support due to its lack of attention to the cultural context of society, its strong opposition to the religious elements of society, and its uncritical infatuation with the West and contempt for customs, language, and religious beliefs of the people. The findings of this research confirm the results of studies on the challenges of tradition and modernity by researchers such as Vahdat, Azadarmaki, and Mirsepassi, which indicate that Iranian intellectuals of the Constitutional era had a distorted perception of modernity, considering it dominant and viewing the possibility of dialogue between modernity and traditions as impossible, believing that the only way to progress was imitation.
Women's Studies
Hajiieh Bibi Razeghi Nasrabad; sosan bastani
Abstract
Following the decrease in the fertility level and the change in the pattern of childbearing in Iran and its demographic, economic and social consequences, efforts have been made in the policy system in recent years to support the family and working women. One of the programs carried out in order to support ...
Read More
Following the decrease in the fertility level and the change in the pattern of childbearing in Iran and its demographic, economic and social consequences, efforts have been made in the policy system in recent years to support the family and working women. One of the programs carried out in order to support working women and increase fertility in the country was to increase the length of maternity leave from six months to nine months.The purpose of this study is to interpret and represent the different dimensions of maternity leave among employed mothers. In fact, this study was an attempt to understand the effects of this policy in the continuation of women's participation in the labor market, improving the health of family members, developing the financial well-being of the family, maintaining the job values of mothers, and mothers' satisfaction, reducing work-family conflict from the perspective of working mothers who are the target group of this policy.The approach of this research is qualitative. The sample includes 25 employed women with maternity leave experience living in Tehran who was determined through purposive sampling with maximum diversity based on the level of theoretical saturation. The data collection method is an in-depth interview that was conducted in the fall and winter of 2022. This study was carried out in the conditions of the Corona epidemic, so this situation affected both the way of collecting information and the duration of the research. Therefore, some interviews were conducted in person and some by phone. The method of analysis was thematic analysis which was extracted in three methods of open, axial and selective coding. From the data analysis process, the core category of "paradoxical expression of maternity leave experience" was obtained, which arises from the two themes of "women's dual experience of maternity leave" and "contradictions in policies and executive plans". The category " women's dual experience of maternity leave " is the result of three sub-themes of "strengthening the family institution", "doubt in decision-making" and "job insecurity" which show the dual experience. According to the findings, "body management skills", "promoting the biological health of the child", "quality motherhood" and "helping the work-family balance" indicate women's perception of maternity leave as an opportunity to strengthen the family institution, but the decision phobia that It is caused by "fear of separation from the child" and "hesitation to return to work", and "insecurity and job degradation" is also an important part of mothers' experience. The understanding of employed mothers about how to implement the program also indicates that it is contradictory, which is included in three sub-themes: "lack of legislation", "closure of the private sector" and "openness of the public sector".Based on the lived experience of the mothers in this study, on the one hand, the maternity leave policy has helped the well-being of women and families and has provided the satisfaction of mothers in order to provide the well-being and peace of mother and child and restore their health. On the other hand, this program has been the source of some worries, fears and uncertainties, and it has many weaknesses due to the contradictions in the policies and executive programs in providing the safety of mind and well-being of working mothers. Of course, various conditions such as economic, family, work environment, physical conditions of mother and child, and the level of knowledge and ability of mothers in understanding and facing issues related to the conflict of work and family roles have created a diverse experience of maternity leave for women.In this regard, the review of policies related to the protection of working women shows that there are good protective laws in Iran. Existing laws such as breastfeeding hours, part-time work, child care services, reducing the working hours of women with special conditions can have a great impact on preventing personal and family issues, along with maternity leave. However, in addition to the ambiguity in the laws, the enforcement guarantee of these policies and laws has not been specified. In some cases, the implementation of laws has been left to the authority of the occupational organization. Therefore, it has caused the non-fulfillment of various support policies for working mothers. Therefore, it is important that maternity leave policy needs to be reviewed, monitored and redesigned according to the needs and conditions of mothers, children and employers.
Sociology
Fatemeh Mansourian; Narges Nikkhah Ghamsari; Mohammad Ganji; sosan bastani
Abstract
The main purpose of this study is to investigate and present the viewpoints of employed men and women graduates and the construct of gender in the workplace. In this study, in addition to avoiding one-dimensional and narrow view in the analysis of employment and gender, a GrandedTheory approach and ...
Read More
The main purpose of this study is to investigate and present the viewpoints of employed men and women graduates and the construct of gender in the workplace. In this study, in addition to avoiding one-dimensional and narrow view in the analysis of employment and gender, a GrandedTheory approach and an exploratory one were employed. The qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and purposive sampling method from 22 educated men and women working in Tehran. The data were analyzed with MAXQDA software and data-driven theory method.The paradigm model obtained from interpreting the viewpoints of the population under study indicated that the core phenomenon (gender construction of employment) could be defined based on the interactions of factors such as causal conditions (gender relations governing the work environment, gender beliefs and constructive rules); underlying conditions (challenges of the workplace, the nature of the workplace and the support of communication networks) and intervening conditions (recognizing the professional position, job quality and the paradox of the university and the labor market). While confirming qualitative findings, the analysis of data revealed that women experienced the gender construct and unequal access to resources more than men in workplace. In the final analysis it could be said that working women, when exposed to unequal access to opportunities and resources, can change the way of access to resources with their active action strategy, but this does not imply absolute freedom. The structure is imposed by rules and resources such as gender relations in the workplace, gender beliefs, constructive rules, lack of communication network support, authoritarian work environment, workplace challenges and paradoxes between the university and the labor market and it changes and limits women actions. Men, like women, acknowledged the existence of a masculine dominant environment in work, the existence of discriminatory laws, the challenges of the workplace, the paradox of the university, and the tendency of the labor market to exclude and marginalize women. Based on these results and a multivariate view of gender construction in the workplace, it is possible for women to achieve greater participation and leading the workplace to move towards avoiding gender domination by reviewing the employment policies, reforming managers' attitudes and balancing power in the family.
Women's Studies
Susan Bastani; Shohre Rowshani; Nahle Gharavi Naeeni
Abstract
The current study aims to investigate the way married women living in Tehran face with disruption of sense of tranquility in marital life. This research has been done using grounded theory method and deep interview technique. As a result of encounter with disruption of sense of tranquility, which is ...
Read More
The current study aims to investigate the way married women living in Tehran face with disruption of sense of tranquility in marital life. This research has been done using grounded theory method and deep interview technique. As a result of encounter with disruption of sense of tranquility, which is the result of the gap between the assets and demands of women, it has become necessary for women to adopt a set of strategies with two general approaches of "change in assets" including modification of the spousal relationship, management of interactive problems with families, improvement of the status of children, attention to self and removal of structural barriers, with the aim of changing the available status into a desirable one, and "change in demands" including reduced demands, patience and forgiveness and selection of the null relationship, with the aim of accepting the available status. Choosing these strategies and their effectiveness is affected by a set of conditions such as “decision-making factors" including the husband's approach, religious beliefs, dominance of affection and exterior constraint.
Sociology
Khadije Safiri; Sosan Bastani; Leila Ghorani Damdabaja
Abstract
The mail goal of the Present paper is to study the influence of informal social networkssupport on job satisfaction of married women using the direct effect of social support andDurkheimian anomie theories and Network analysis perspective. It has been performed usingsurvey method and questionnaire. Statistical ...
Read More
The mail goal of the Present paper is to study the influence of informal social networkssupport on job satisfaction of married women using the direct effect of social support andDurkheimian anomie theories and Network analysis perspective. It has been performed usingsurvey method and questionnaire. Statistical population is constituted of all working andmarried women (20-55) living in Ardabil. Participants were 356 women chosen by multistagecluster sampling. The Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha of 0.70 for job satisfaction and 0.79 forsocial support shows face validity of this variables and appropriate reliability of the tests.Results indicate that the women's satisfaction level of job is high and also support levelreceived from informal networks is average. After the husband, among different informalnetworks, relative networks in emotional support and colleague networks in instrumental andinformational support have the most support rate, while neighborhood networks have the leastrate of support. The results of correlation coefficient show that social support as a mediatorvariable in the relationship of network size and frequency of contact with job satisfactionoperates. Moreover, regression results show that age, network size, frequency of contact andinformal social networks support are affective variables on job satisfaction of married women.