Becoming Visible in Iran: Women in Contemporary Iranian Society

The state of women in Islamic societies is the subject of much interest and heated debate, even as representations in the media rely on inadequate information and misperceptions. Becoming Visible in Iran disputes the widespread stereotypes about Muslim women prevalent in the West, providing a vivid account of young women in contemporary Iran. Beginning at home, women are infusing dramatic change by challenging the patriarchal conceptions of their fathers, brothers, uncles and others within the intimate sphere of family and home. Empowered by education, they transport the power of their minds and being from the domestic to the public and political. Through detailed interviews and striking narratives, Mehri Honarbin-Holliday presents the experiences of these young women who wield a key if indirect political influence on the seemingly male dominated politics of this society, as they achieve a new visibility. For its direct presentation of women's perspectives as well as its analysis and insight, this book is a vital contribution to our understanding of the lives of Muslim women and the possibilities before them today.

Praise

"A unique contribution to knowledge ... the reader is taken on a journey... We thus witness how the young women employ minds and bodies to articulate ideas and demand change at the family, legal and political levels. ... I highly recommend this well-researched book for its demystification of the lives and autonomy of women in the Muslim world, as well as its accessibility as a good and informative read for the general public worldwide."--Elaheh Rostami-Povey, Lecturer in Development Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

"This book will make a fresh contribution to the field of Middle East women's studies. It challenges prevailing stereotypes and misconceptions about Iranian women while providing a original and creative way of engaging with the material."--Nadje Al-Ali, The Centre for Gender Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
 

About the Author: DR. MEHRI HONARBIN-HOLLIDAY is a research fellow at Canterbury Christ Church University and affiliated to the London Middle East Institute. She is also a practicing artist. Her work is interdisciplinary and explores the intersections of gender, identity, and art. She has exhibited her video and ceramics installations in Iran, Britain, Mexico, and the United States and is the recipient of the 2007 national award from the Art and Culture Secretariat of Tehran Municipality for her Qashqai Tribe collection.