Modern Society in Iran - Essay Example

Topic:  Modern Society in Iran Iran is a Muslim country with a rich heritage and civilization and remained independent throughout much of its history. Iran has attempted to change consistently after the 1950s. In the 20th century, the Islamic revolution brought about change in the society by introducing educated and modern class into it. But the traditional lot of the society more or less remained the same. In the early history, the country followed Islamic code and hence there was a prominence of patriarchal system in the country.

However, with the emergence of modern social class, the patriarchal system gradually lost its appeal and women and men started sharing equal status in the society. Women in Iran faced strict sharia laws under the Khomeini rule but were lifted in 1989 after his death. In his article ( Szczepanski,2011)writes that” Nonetheless, women in Iran continue to face weaker rights today than they did in 1978” Even though the country is developing in other arenas the rights for women has not upgraded as other developed and developing nations.

According to (Nobel Women,2008) “The Iranian womens rights movement is facing unprecedented obstacles and threats. The effort to stop expressions of support for womens rights is part of a general denial of basic social and economic rights in Iran”. The Iranian women’s movement is all set to bring changes in the gender biased laws of the country. In their article (UNHCR,2008)claims that “Besides raising awareness among the public, policymakers, political and intellectual groups on the need to reform laws that discriminate against women, the Campaign has engaged a whole new generation of womens rights activists in the quest for equality”.

Although Iran is a country ruled by Islamic regime, the new generation no longer wishes to live under the constrained laws of the Islamic codes and conducts. The religion has a direct and intense control over the people of Iran and the political scene also has religious laws and principles as its foundation. According to (NRPL,2011) “In Iran, the Revolution of 1979 brought in an intensification of religious influence on policy formation in health, education, transport, law, and economics and planning”.

This process of Islamization have provoked aggression and repression in the life of public and led to recent protest and resistance against government and their policies. Now in Iran education has taken new dimension as women are given more opportunity to learn and advance in career. If Iran has to inculcate modernity into its society then the Islamic principles and agendas of the country should be cleansed and restructures. “If, Islam is to serve as the basis of an Iranian modernity, it must be a reconstructed Islam, purified of superstitions, as well as of erroneous or ossified traditions”(Ringer,2004).

Today the Iranian population is demanding more reforms in laws regarding marriage and family, sexual relations and gender equality. As per (Seigel,2010)“A growing majority of citizens who are disenchanted with the policies of the current regime (but are unable to make real change in the state) put pressure on the government through society”. The country’s hostile attitude to the western counterpart has also raised concern among the Iranian citizen towards their social security and human rights.

These factors have provoked the Iranians to bring about new changes in the social, economical and political arena of the country. References NRPL, . (2011, August 05). International partnership project. Retrieved from http://centres.exe ter.ac.uk/nrpl/proj-partnership.shtml Nobel Womens Initiative, . (2008, March 11). International womens day supporting womens rights in iran. Retrieved from http://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org/news/article/international-womens-day-supporting-womens-rights-in-iran Ringer, M.M. (2004).

Rethinking religion: progress and morality in the early twentieth-century iranian womens press . Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/comparatives tudies_of_ south_asia_a frica_and_the_middle_east/v024/24.1ringer.html Szczepanski, K. (2011). How did womens roles change after the revolutions in china and iran?. Retrieved from http://asianhistory.about.com/od/iran/p/How-Did-Womens-Roles-Change-After-The-Revolutions-In-China-And-Iran.htm Seigel, Z. (2010). Modern iran: an examination of the foundations of hostile foreign policy.

Retrieved from http://www.colorado.edu/ArtsSciences/PWR/occasions/articles/Siegel_Modern%20Iran.pdf UNHCR . (2008, September 01). Progress towards womens rights in iran. Retrieved from 3 .http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/48be396014.html