Journal of Woman in Culture and Arts

Abstract Research highlights the significant economic and social ramifications that, when infidelity leads to divorce, disrupt family dynamics and can have long-lasting negative effects on the individuals involved. The study poses the following inquiry: How can a therapist establish a safe and supportive space for couples to investigate the underlying causes of infidelity, and devise strategies for communication and conflict resolution? In what ways can counseling assist couples in the process of reestablishing trust, fortifying their dedication to their relationship, and devising strategies for the future of their marriage? This qualitative case study implemented grounded theory methodology in order to enhance comprehension of infidelity and devise more effective intervention strategies. The participants were deliberately chosen from married couples who were seeking counseling at a Tehran counseling facility. In order to acquire a comprehensive comprehension of the therapeutic process, one couple participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews during their 14 therapy sessions, each of which lasted a minimum of 90 minutes. This sampling method enabled a concentrated investigation of the ways in which therapy can address infidelity.
The results indicate that infidelity is influenced by a variety of factors, including a lack of communication, a weak emotional connection, differing values, inappropriate workplace relationships, social media misuse, and negative familial experiences. The study also highlights the importance of improved communication, stronger emotional connection, healthy boundaries with extended family, a focus on “us” as a couple, and a personal connection to a higher power (if applicable) in rebuilding trust and strengthening the marriage during treatment.

Abstract Pictorial carpets, the result of combining tradition with modernity, peaked during Qajar rule. The themes of these carpets include literary stories, religious motifs, animal depictions, ancient Iranian relics, and portraits of monarchs. A distinctive category also emerged, where the image of a woman replaced traditional patterns. This research aims to identify a rare hand-woven carpet design from the Qajar period featuring the bust of a woman and investigate the creation of the design from Panofsky's iconographic point of view. The research questions are: what was the catalyst for the emergence of women’s images in Qajar pictorial carpets, and what concealed messages do these images convey? The objective of this research is fundamental, and the methodology is descriptive-analytical. Data was collected through library resources, and three carpets depicting the bust of a woman were the studied samples. The appearance of women’s images in Qajar carpets was influenced by the concurrent creation of these carpets with the Qajar era, the expansion of relations with Europe, the prevalence of lithographic printing, the introduction of photography and postcards, naturalistic painting, humanistic thought, changes in clothing style, social and political roles of women, and the abundance of women’s images in Qajar art. The imagery of these carpets is in harmony with numerous advancements of their era, as evidenced by the alignment of artists with the movements of the time. influenced by the social, political, and cultural conditions and unaware of Europeans Orientalism, Qajar carpet weavers reflect the currents and developments of the society in carpets.

Abstract The modern era's transformations and the media-driven nature of modern humans have led to the emergence of "hijab style" as a form of activism. This phenomenon is global, not exclusive to Iran, but its significance is heightened in Iran due to hijab being a valued principle. Given the multiple definitions of this emerging phenomenon, this research aimed to understand it by engaging with experts in modesty and hijab, fashion, and social media. Through grounded theory, the essence of the phenomenon was extracted, including its formation, characteristics, and types of followers.
The analysis revealed that the spread of hijab style can be attributed to behavioral, cognitive, and structural factors. The findings indicate that its formation and strategies for addressing it are rooted in the context of modern civilization and media influence, where managerial and structural factors play a crucial role. These factors have been categorized as contextual and interventionist conditions, leading to strategies in religious, economic, promotional/media, cultural/social, and educational dimensions.
Iranian society faces consequences in religious, psychological/moral, intellectual/cultural, and social domains. Ultimately, after outlining the current situation, strategies for achieving a desirable state were identified across economic, social, legal, media, and cultural aspects.

Keywords:
Hijab Style, mode, fashion, Social networks, Instagram.

Abstract Travelogues, as one of the most important historical and cultural documents, play a key role in shaping one nation’s perceptions of another. A particular and frequently stereotypical image of Iranian women has been presented in Western travelogues about Iran, particularly in recent centuries. These representations have not remained confined to texts alone; rather, they have exerted profound effects on the lived realities, security, and modes of social presence of Iranian women in public spaces. This article provides a critical examination of the portrayal of Iranian women in Western travelogues and illustrates that these texts serve as more than just historical documents; they also serve as methods for the construction of a “Oriental Other.” The present study delineates the construction and solidification of the stereotypical image of the Iranian woman as an isolated and confined being restricted to the private sphere within these travelogues, drawing on Edward Said's theoretical framework of Orientalism and Mulvey’s concept of the “gaze.” This article investigates the tangible repercussions of these representations on the lived experiences of Iranian women, transcending the confines of strictly textual analysis. The results suggest that these portrayals have not only influenced the perceptions of Western audiences but have also had a profound and enduring impact on the psychological and physical security of Iranian women, as well as on the quality and nature of their social presence in public spaces, as a result of their infiltration into domestic discourses.

Abstract Understanding the condition of women during the Qajar period requires examining the publications of that era, where women were considered a cornerstone of both family and society. The newspaper Shokoufeh, with its comprehensive perspective on health issues for families and schools, and its repeated emphasis on the necessity of women's education, holds significant importance for understanding the role and status of women and the general conditions of the time.
This study addresses the question of why Shokoufeh emphasized the necessity of educating and raising awareness among women regarding education and health? It also examines the strategies proposed by the newspaper to encourage women to pursue education and adhere to health principles?. The findings indicate that Shokoufeh represented an intellectual movement aiming to replace traditional views on women's education. By introducing Western women's lifestyles and emphasizing the value of women as individuals, the newspaper sought to open new horizons for Iranian women in the fields of education and health.
Using a library-based methodology and a descriptive-analytical approach, this research explores Shokoufeh's perspective on the significance of school health as a prerequisite for education and national development. The newspaper emphasized the need for a healthy school environment for girls pursuing education and highlighted the importance of women’s role in both the household and society.

Abstract This research provides an analytical analysis of the fifth clause of the general policies of the Seventh Development Plan in the field of social security, with special emphasis on the situation of women. The main goal is to explain the capacities, shortcomings, and obstacles to the implementation of this policy in order to achieve social justice and reduce gender inequalities. The present study was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and a documentary study, and its data was collected through a review of primary and secondary sources. The findings show that the most important strength of this clause is its compliance with global models through its emphasis on a “multi-layer system” and “comprehensiveness,” which enables coverage of different groups of women. However, the main weakness lies in the lack of transparency of executive mechanisms and sustainable financial resources. Two major challenges were also identified: 1) macro-challenges such as rapid population aging and pressure on insurance funds, and 2) structural challenges such as parallel work of institutions and inefficient governance. In the area of ​​women, this clause has failed to address specific needs such as precarious employment, caregiving responsibilities, and vulnerability in old age. Consequently, although this clause has strong theoretical support, its realization requires the development of an operational plan to reform the governance structure, stabilize financial resources, and adopt strategies to address the demographic challenge while taking into account gender justice.

Abstract Vow, as a common religious ritual, serves diverse functions within various cultural and social contexts. This study aims to understand the meaning of vow from the perspective of women in Yazd and to explore the different purposes and layers of this ritual act. The theoretical framework draws on Marcel Mauss’s concept of gift, Victor Turner’s social drama, Peter Berger’s sacred canopy, Jan Assmann’s cultural memory, and Mary Douglas’s notion of purification. The research employs a qualitative ethnographic approach, including fieldwork, observation, and semi-structured interviews with women who make vows in Yazd. Findings reveal that for Yazdi women, vow is not merely a religious act but a multilayered practice encompassing psychological, social, cultural, and religious meanings. Participants described vow as a "bridge to the sacred," a "support system," a "conditional act," and a "ritual memory." Moreover, vow operates within a kind of ritual moral economy where prayers and vows made on behalf of others are seen as conditions for individual well-being and peace. The goals of vow in women’s experiences can be analyzed on three levels: the micro (individual), involving desires such as success in education or employment; the meso (family), related to family health and maintaining generational bonds; and the macro (cultural-religious), connected to reclaiming religious identity and participating in alleviating cultural poverty through awareness-raising vows. Overall, vow in the lived experience of Yazdi women functions as a mechanism for meaning-making, restoring personal dignity, and coping with everyday uncertainties.

Abstract The epic poem Kourosh-nameh, authored by Afsar al-Muluk Amiri, is one of the scarce examples of female epic poetry in contemporary Persian literature. It reinterprets Achaemenid history through an ethically-driven, religious, and traditionalist narrative. The main issue of this research is to investigate how a female poet, when confronted with a male-dominated and royal historical genre, finds opportunities to intervene in the narration of the past. Relying on the concept of “gender as an analytical category” in Joan Scott’s theory and the notion of “women’s narrative authority” in Susan Lanser’s ideas, this article demonstrates that the ethical-centeredness of Kourosh-nameh cannot be solely attributed as a marker of the text’s femininity; this characteristic is also intertwined with other discourses such as Pahlavi traditionalism, religious ethics, and the Persian didactic tradition. Nevertheless, an examination of the narrative’s pacing, the reduction of violent descriptions, the presence of a dictatorial narrator, the redefinition of political legitimacy, and the exclusion or limitation of female voices reveals that Amiri, within these very dominant discourses, creates a form of limited, negotiatory, and contradictory narrative intervention—an intervention that can also be examined in relation to the author’s gendered position. Consequently, Kourosh-nameh is not a feminine narrative in the inherent and fixed sense of the word, but rather a text that illuminates the possibilities and limitations of female agency within the historical-epic genre.

Abstract This article examines the relationship between taste and style in clothing design from the perspective of halal fashion, aiming to elucidate the interaction between individual aesthetics and cultural identity. Taste is conceptualized as a reflection of personal preferences and individual aesthetic experience, whereas style is understood as a cultural and historical structure that shapes broader design frameworks. Grounded in Islamic principles of modesty (ḥayāʾ), chastity, and moral responsibility, halal fashion should not be perceived merely as a set of dress restrictions; rather, it constitutes a coherent semantic and aesthetic system that seeks to balance modesty, elegance, identity formation, and creativity.

Drawing on an anthropological approach and Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital, this study demonstrates that over the past two decades halal fashion has evolved from a marginal phenomenon into a significant cultural and economic field. In this process, it has not only redefined contemporary interpretations of Islamic dress but has also emerged as an influential medium for identity construction, social distinction, and the symbolic representation of religious values through clothing practices.

Despite its growing relevance, the existing scholarly literature reveals a notable research gap, particularly the absence of an integrated theoretical framework capable of systematically explaining the relationship between individual taste, design style, and the ethical–aesthetic principles of Islam. Accordingly, the present study adopts an interdisciplinary approach integrating fashion design and anthropological analysis in alignment with Islamic teachings, highlighting the necessity of further examination of visual representations of dress and the cultural and religious norms governing them.

Abstract During the stay of Afghans in Iran, 30 thousand Afghan women married to men. Marriage of Iranian women to Afghans is extremely worrying; in particular, 98 percent of marriages are associated with failure and homelessness. Illegal marriage problems with illegal nationalities would lead to education, healthcare and housing problems for women and children contributing to confusion and homelessness. Given the fact many of the people who accept such marriages are of poor classes of society, it is necessary to introduce them with the dark and troubling consequences of their marriage by sensible programming. Some of these women are deceived by Afghan nationalities or are girls sold by their fathers to marry Afghan men and many of their marriages fail. From the very beginning of marriage, they have to grapple with many problems. The first problem for every Iranian woman who marries to an Afghan is her loss of Iranian citizenship. After their marriage to Afghans, many of these women are abandoned across the border or return to their country with several children suffering from many psychological, social and economic problems. Such factors as lack of adequate security, scarcity and shortage of cultivated land, the low level of employment, the slow process of rebuilding the country, low social welfare and urban services, lack of adequate health care and poor education system are some of the major problems that make Afghans return to their homeland. In this study, we tried to present a trend analysis based on the facts above; the pathology is geopolitical.

Abstract Social and cultural harms of female students such as abnormal behavior, less useful leisure, identity confusion, drug use, sex crimes, political apathy or aggression, etc. can be observed among university students which are generally caused by external factors. Studies in this field are few especially for female students. Subjects are also non-functional and the results are unclear and they are irrelevant to the cultural strategies. Lack of studies to identify social harms indicates the need to make policies and plans for conducting research and reducing social harms at universities. This study tries to examine social and cultural damages among university students with the focus on girl students. The research was conducted through documentary and meta analysis methods. Through indexing, screening, and validating available studies, 16 studies and scientific documents were selected and their specifications as well as their results were meta analyzed. Findings show that: identifying social harms of female students, reviewing the strategies and observing the way they are performed, training educated manpower, appropriate cultural arrangements, making use of academic and educational data of consultation committees for students, applying useful cultural methods, making use of social workers, are all the ways to realize cultural strategies and reduce social harms among students. Social harms of girl students are related to their mental harms and appropriate cultural plans and policies must be decided for them

Abstract One of the duties of the husband in marriage is to pay alimony. In this regard, the Shiite scholars disagree in some areas, for example, in case of high treatment costs, if the cost of treatment is very significant, the scholars do not agree on whether the husband should pay or not. Accordingly, in this paper, the ideas of jurists and lawyers in this regard seem to be that the man should pay and treatment.

Abstract Access to development and life quality improvement are ideals that all the time has involved human’s mind. Nowadays development phenomenon besides economic programs contains cultural and social subject. One of the important subjects in development part is women's issues. In these days, even though trend to women's issues in new approaches of development has increased, but in many countries several problems of women are observed. Goal of this research is evaluation of women's position in development programs after revolution and concentration to women's issues, also we want to know reflex ions of approaches on goals, policies, model, program's quantitative indices and its implementations (with emphasis on Amartyasen's approaches). Thus a relevant index has been considered. Applied method is descriptive and analytical. Analyses have been chosen based on theory pattern that is institutionalism with special emphasis on Amartyasen's approaches. Two important and necessary concentration to women's role in development with Amartyasen's approach is better function observation about potentialities, appropriate condition in education, health, employment in women centric issues and gender inequalities negative role in other inequalities increase. Research results demonstrate differences between sen's opinions and first and second development programs is too much and the most important factor in this incompatibility is that these development programs are based on economic growth. Third development program (Gender Empowerment), education, health, employment, policitical participation and etc, are goals that are based on sen's approach and education, health, employment and political participation are considered. In the fourth development program, women participation development is emphasized and the government must follow program's goals about women. Dominant view in the fourth development program is the idea of gender and development. Improvement of life quality that is considered through substantial changes in economic, educational and health parameters. In some cases, women has been given more priority and adapted based on Amartyasen's approach. An overview on human development, gender development and Gender Empowerment indices express during first to fourth development programs, women's situation such as health and education has been relatively improved. Although indices show fewer ratios for women. In other cases such as women's income proportion, participation rate in labor force, proportion of parliament's chairs, proportion of high level managerial and legislation hasn’t changed in this period.

Abstract Conspicuously enough, Millennium Development Goals (UN-MDG) indexes cover the various aspects of economic development in countries. Indeed, MDGs are collected from the World Bank and the IMF indexes that were used for monitoring economics status. Every member of the UN is subjected to report the required data in former designed format and frequency. Furthermore reported data and usage of indexes provide tremendous chance to compare the countries with each other. In 2004, Iran adopted a strategic vision named “Iran 1404” that suggests Iran to be the 1st country in the Middle East and Central Asia region in economic, social, cultural aspects. By using almost 20 years data provided by MDG indexes and the use of ADF and ARIMA time series models the index values of countries in 2015 are estimated and in the result by ranking Iran position among Middle Eastern and central Asian countries in the year 2015 is forecasted. Due to lack of data in some indexes a combination of graphical trend analysis and ARIMA models are used. In conclusion in the year 2015 Iran would be not be in the 5 high rank countries in the 3rd goal of MDG and serious changes in policies are needed to be made

Abstract “Equality of Genders” is a subject which has occupied the minds of academic society in recent decades. Many experts have had had theories on this subject and Islamic thinkers have tried to explain justice and equality from the Islamic point of view and they have criticized feministic approaches. There have also been researches conducted in this regard. In this article we will briefly review the mentioned theories, applying systematic review, we will also analyze the conducted researches again in the field of gender equality. Therefore out of conducted researches we have selected 20 cases in 1980s. The results reveal that in problematic level and reasons of inequality about 55 percent of the questions had the social aspect, 24% had the economic aspect, and only 21% had cultural aspect. Regarding the factors affecting inequality, among social factors “Gender Clichés”, “Patriarchy” and “Gender Sociability” factors included 17.7%, among economic factors “Women’s Employment” included 14.6%, and among contextual factors “Ethnicity” and “Education” included 7% of the most important factors. The approach adopted in all cases was equality about the gender equality and justice. It was concluded that the conducted researches have thoroughly considered the feministic perception of equality and it is necessary for the future researches to consider the local approach in respect to gender justice between two genders and Islamic elements in gender justice must be taken into consideration as the basis of research.

Abstract