The Paradox of Tradition and Modernity in Female Education in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Author(s)
Mehran, Golnar
Abstract
The simultaneous presence of modernity–reflected in the political will to increase female access to schooling and to reduce gender disparities in the educational sector–and tradition–illustrated in the attempt to educate women for their proper role in the family and society–seems contradictory to outside observers. Yet the coexistence of the two merely reflects the dual role assigned to the New Muslim Woman who is asked to be traditional and modern at the same time. What seems contradictory is indeed illustrative of a deliberate policy to create the ideal female citizen who is socialized, politicized, and Islamized and can serve the traditional needs of a religious society as well as the modern demands of the country. The purpose of this article is to gain insight into the paradox of tradition and modernity in the female educational experience by seeking to understand the nature of Iranian society since the 1979 revolution and the dual role assigned to women ever since. It also aims to illustrate how the modern aspirations of Iranian women have overcome the limitations of traditional measures imposed on their education.
