Глобализация и идентичность иранских женщин

Abstract

The paper investigates the effects of cultural globalization and interaction on Iranian women’s identity construction. It aims to illuminate the possible sustaining of traditions in the construction of modern identities. The views are grounded on Giddens’ definition of the concept of “reflexivity” as the agents’ capacity in making revisions on their practices to construct new identities in light of new information. Iranian women within the global network are subject to new information and therefore are able to reflexively construct new identities. Amid various influential factors on identity construction, here, the function of “religion” and “gender roles” are examined to see the place of these traditionally significant elements in the identity of modern women. The items of “hijab” and “consumerism” are considered to address the issue of religion. Moreover, the concept of “motherhood” is traced in identity of modern women to reveal the probability of representation of traditional gender roles in their modern identities. It is found that Iranian women are not passive users of globalized culture, rather they make a balance between their traditional and modern identity.