How are we to understand the Islamic Republic’s battle against women? Women who want gender equality are tried and given hefty jail sentences. By intimidation and detention, the regime forces women... Show moreHow are we to understand the Islamic Republic’s battle against women? Women who want gender equality are tried and given hefty jail sentences. By intimidation and detention, the regime forces women to observe the decreed head and body coverings. But why has the Islamic Republic gone to battle with women? The author argues that the issue is directly linked to the theory of the velayat-e faqih [rule by an Islamic jurist] and the legitimization of rule by Islamic jurists. Without gender apartheid, the velayat-e faqih would cease to have meaning. Show less
Urban young Iranians have recently begun to use the blogosphere and cyberspace to construct new sexual and social discourses. This article describes how Iranian youth link indigenous discourses of... Show moreUrban young Iranians have recently begun to use the blogosphere and cyberspace to construct new sexual and social discourses. This article describes how Iranian youth link indigenous discourses of sexuality to other discourses of sexuality and how they understand their practices as political and social statements. For these youths, the internet provides important avenues to circumvent restrictions on cultural consumption and production while allowing them to engage in “safe” sexual encounters. As such, it fuels the creation of social movements that may pose new challenges to the regime. Show less