Women and the Islamic Republic: How Gendered Citizenship Conditions the Iranian State

Women and the Islamic Republic challenges dominant masculine theories of state-making in post-revolutionary Iran by demonstrating that multiple forms of citizenship have developed. This finding destabilizes the binary formulation of democratization and authoritarianism and shows how women remake their rights, responsibilities, and statuses to condition the state-making process.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 27 January 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Women and the Islamic Republic: Challenging Dominant Masculine Theorizations of State-Making in Post-Revolutionary Iran

Shirin Saeidi's groundbreaking work, Women and the Islamic Republic, presents a compelling challenge to the prevailing masculine narratives of state-making in post-revolutionary Iran. Through extensive interviews, oral histories, and archival sources, Saeidi reveals that despite the Islamic Republic's non-democratic structures, a diverse range of citizenship forms have emerged in the post-revolutionary era. This revelation destabilizes the binary framework of democratization and authoritarianism that has dominated the study of Iran and broader regime categorizations in political science.

As non-elite Iranian women navigate or engage with the state's gendered citizenry regime, the Islamic Republic is compelled to reshape its citizenry agenda, often in haphazard and improvised ways. The book showcases how women redefine their rights, responsibilities, and statuses in their everyday lives, exerting a powerful influence on the state-making process in Iran. It underscores women's ongoing resistance to the state-making machinery, highlighting their active role in shaping the political landscape of the country.

In conclusion, Women and the Islamic Republic is a seminal work that offers a fresh perspective on state-making in post-revolutionary Iran. By challenging dominant masculine narratives and highlighting the diverse forms of citizenship that have emerged, Saeidi's book sheds light on the complex dynamics between women, the state, and the process of nation-building. It is a must-read for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the complex and evolving relationship between gender, politics, and society in Iran.

Weight: 480g
Dimension: 159 x 235 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781316515761