Gender ideology and power relations in Sahebjam’s Stoning of Soraya M: A feminist critical discourse analysis

Abstract

The context of the study is the ongoing protests and demonstrations by women in many places in Iran. The aim of this study is to examine gender ideology and power in Sahebjam’s Stoning of Soraya M. Qualitative descriptive method is used to investigate the relationship between gender ideology and power relations and how it creates power imbalance between men and women in Iranian society. The primary data source for this research is a novel, Stoning of Soraya M by Freidoune Sahebjam, which was first published in September 12, 1990. Data are analyzed through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis approach, more specifically, Lazar’s Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis (2007). The findings of the study suggest that the country's laws, including the Constitution, the Civil Code, and the Criminal Code create a complicated legal environment for women. While the Constitution guarantees equal civil rights for men and women, religious law superseds other laws and is frequently abused by individuals to commit crimes against women. This study reveals how gender ideology and power relations regarding women reflected through discourse can demonstrate how women are treated in different parts of the world.Keywords: Gender Ideology, Power, Novel, Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis