Modernity in Iran and Turkey: Patterns and Problems

In 1909, an Iranian journalist conceded that his countrywomen were less valued than ‘the animals of other nations.’ Although granted various privileges through Islamic law, or sharia, they were non...

The aim of this research is to examine the influence of cultural and religious values in engineering ethics education, which has been largely adopted from Western ideologies among engineering undergraduates in Malaysia. Data were elicited from open-ended interviews involving a group of engineering students of a higher education institution in Malaysia. The findings revealed several themes showing that prevailing cultural and religious values have an important place in engineering ethics education by influencing ethical decision making among future engineers. The findings of this study would provide practitioners with considerable insight into the understanding of the immense impact of religious and cultural values on Malaysian engineering ethics education among engineering undergraduates. Conformity to such religious and cultural values was prevalent among engineering undergraduates, suggesting the need to factor in such values in the development of engineering ethics education model that helps strike a proper balance between local social ideologies and Western ethical principles.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the dual influence of traditional Chinese and national Singaporean cultural values on the attitude towards skin beauty and the purchase intention relating to skin care cosmetics among Chinese Singaporean women. It aims is to investigate how ethnic and national cultures might interact to influence the attitude towards skin beauty and hence the willingness to buy skin care products.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 370 Chinese Singaporean women was conducted to test the proposed links. The study adopts an empirical approach using structural equation modelling.FindingsBoth traditional Chinese and national Singaporean cultural values impact the attitude of Chinese Singaporean women towards skin beauty and their willingness to buy skin care cosmetics. The components of the traditional Chinese values (Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism) and national Singaporean values were found to have differing impact on the attitude towards skin beauty and the purchase intention of skin care cosmetics among Singaporean women. Confucianism was found to have a very strong impact on skin fairness and whitening, national Singaporeans' values were found to have a strong impact on skin anti‐ageing, and Buddhist values were found to have moderate impact on attitude towards skin smoothness and skin fairness and on the willingness to buy skin smoothening and skin whitening cosmetics.Research limitations/implicationsEven though the sample can be considered large, given the number of variables in the model, it would be wise to rely on a larger sample. In addition, the research was about specific cosmetics products, namely those related to skin care. It is judicious to extend the analysis to other categories and types of products. For expatriate ethnic groups, it is recommended that marketers think about the interaction between their traditional values and the values of the host country, as these have dual effects on their attitudes and hence on their buying intention. The interaction between these values is not static across products. It varies in size and combination across types of attitudes and products.Practical implicationsTraditional ethnic and national cultural values have differing impact in terms of significance and size on the attitude towards face beauty. Hence, marketing actions such as positioning and advertising should be customized accordingly, to target at these values in an attempt to influence attitude, and hence purchase behavior. Attitude plays a mediating role between cultural values and purchase intention. Influencing consumers' willingness to buy involves influencing their attitudes.Originality/valueFew works have surveyed the dual influence of national and ethnic values on a specific ethnic subgroup in Asia. To the authors' knowledge, there no previous research has been conducted for Singapore. This paper demonstrates that it is important for the marketer to take into account Singaporeans' national and ethnic values while marketing to them.

Countries are dynamic social formations in which there is a constant clash and interplay between the forces of change and continuity. Capturing the essence of these complex social totalities necessitates a holistic approach that overwhelmingly concentrates on the entire political, economic, and ideological spheres. However, the vast majority of studies on Iran tend to focus solely on the dialectical relationship between reformists and conservatives when the current social dynamics of the country are analyzed. The examinations based on such a binary dichotomy not only ignore the impact of economics and ideology, but also fail to discern the essence of Iranian politics divided between parallel elected and non-elected institutions. The Islamic Republic of Iran has consolidated and institutionalized its Islamic revolution by establishing organizations, such as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and revolutionary foundations (or the so-called Bonyads) that are functioning in the economic, political, and ideological spheres. The para-governmental character of these organizations blurs the line between public and private spheres of the country; therefore, revealing their functions and roles enables a better understanding of wider Iranian society.In this sense, Eric Lob's Iran's Reconstruction Jihad provides fresh insights into Iran since the institution that the book investigates has functioned as a revolutionary organization and later as a government ministry in the Islamic Republic. At the same time, the study enables readers to understand the parallel and dual institutional character of the Iranian state. Regarding the political, cultural, and economic functions of the Revolutionary Jihad (RJ), the book analytically represents the wider social dynamics of Iran through the political, cultural, and economic functions of the RJ. As Lob points out, RJ's organizational trajectory mirrors the Islamic Republic's broader evolution in the last four decades, reflecting (a) social changes and continuities, (b) state-society relations, (c) the Islamic Republic's centralization, consolidation, and state building, and, finally, (d) Iran's bureaucratic institutionalization and constraints/opportunities of associational life (335).Lob has produced a comprehensive study on the important yet understudied revolutionary organization and ministry. Revolutionary Jihad is a long-standing institution with its roots in the shah's regime, and through RJ's history Lob has managed to provide an overview of the Islamic Republic of Iran with a spectacular focus on the transformations in the political landscape. Lob's contribution to the scholarship lies in the fact that this is the first book-length study in English that analyzes the RJ based on primary sources. In order to explain the political and social changes and continuities that have transpired in the Islamic Republic of Iran since the revolution, the author conducted 130 interviews between 2009 and 2012 in Iran and Lebanon with government officials, revolutionary activists, war veterans, and development experts affiliated with the RJ. Lob's meticulous work, and his institutionalist approach to the history of RJ, explain the organization's role in the success of the Islamic revolution, the state's development policies, and the mobilization of the population.In the book's introduction Lob demonstrates that Iranian state differs from its Arab counterparts in the region in the sense that it is not fully based on coercive mechanisms in establishing legitimacy. In this regard, while the Arab Spring led to the overthrow of Arab leaders, who had come to power during military coups a generation earlier, the 2009 Green Movement in Iran was controlled by the revolutionary Iranian rulers. Therefore, the author asks, “If coercion did not fully explain the persistence of the Iranian state then what did?” (3). Concordantly, the book describes how revolutionary activists at the grassroots level and political officials at the state level have instrumentalized rural development and other noncoercive tactics to consolidate and maintain the power and influence of the Islamic State. In this sense, Revolutionary Jihad, as an organization instrumentalized for rural development, power consolidation, and overseas policies of the Islamic Republic, presents the most suitable case to understand the essence of the Iranian State. Established as a revolutionary organization in 1979, RJ has been active in (a) improving rural infrastructure, such as constructing bridges, roads and electricity systems and developing agricultural base; (b) determining political outcomes through political activities during election campaigns; and (c) propagating revolutionary and religious values through cultural and educational activities in the rural areas where almost the half of the Iranian population lives. In this context, Lob's detailed account of RJ also reflects state-society relations, wartime operations, bureaucratic centralization, factionalism, foreign policy, and cultural politics in Iran. In addition, the book goes beyond an analysis of Iran, since it provides valuable insights into revolutionary outcomes in other regions. Furthermore, with an analysis of the role of RJ in the Islamic Republic's foreign policy, the book also sheds light on further regional politics.Within this scope, the book examines RJ in nine chapters, which are organized chronologically and thematically. While the first six chapters put forth a detailed historical account of RJ and wider social transformations in the Islamic Republic, the following two chapters elucidate the instrumentalization of the organization in the foreign policymaking of Iran. The book's final chapter, on the other hand, not only critically elaborates on the concepts of jihadi culture and management, but also depicts the current political environment in Iran.In this sense, this book significantly advances our understanding of the Islamic Republic of Iran as it meticulously documents critical junctures in the history of RJ. Whenever Iran is concerned, there is a common tendency to believe that 1979 was a turning point that transformed all the social structures from top to bottom. However, as Lob's detailed account reveals in the first chapter, there are rooted continuities between Shah's Iran and the Islamic Republic. Through dating back the roots of RJ to 1962, starting with the shah's White Revolution, Lob identifies the continuities of rural and development policies between the shah and the Islamic Republic.As mentioned earlier, examining the parallel and dual institutional structure of the Iranian state is crucial for grasping the deeper social dynamics of the country. In chapter 2, the author's account of the official establishment of RJ as a revolutionary organization parallel to the Ministry of Agriculture in 1979 shows how in the early days of the Islamic Republic this Janus-faced state structure was constructed. Moreover, by demonstrating RJ's contribution to the suppression of leftist factions in the revolutionary process, Lob provides fresh insights into how the Islamic Republic instrumentalized revolutionary organizations to consolidate its political power.It should be noted that the new revolutionary state eliminated its rivals not only through coercive mechanisms but also through its development policies. As Lob analytically argues in chapter 3, while IRGC acted as a hard power to eliminate internal and external opponents of the Islamic revolution, RJ as a soft power integrated all segments of Iranian society into the revolution with its development policies in the early post-revolutionary years. This process has resulted in the consolidation of RJ as an institutional mechanism and its transformation from a revolutionary organization into a ministry. With this analysis, Lob presents how state-making in the Islamic Republic was intertwined with revolutionary practices and institutions.In fact, the Islamic Republic consolidated its power through para-governmental organizations such as IRGC, RJ, and various Bonyads. This is why those para-governmental organizations formed the core institutional structure of the new state. Therefore, it is very interesting that RJ as a revolutionary organization was demobilized and institutionalized as a government ministry, but not as a para-governmental organization. The author examines the reasons behind this policy in chapter 4, where he concentrates on the role of factionalism in the bureaucratization of RJ. Moreover, the writer cogently argues that factionalism in the case of RJ, with its expansion and centralization as a ministry, reflects factionalism in the larger state.Even though RJ was institutionalized as a ministry, it established close connections with those other para-governmental organizations during the course of the Islamic Republic. As it is revealed by the author, RJ has used legal loopholes to establish manufacturing and construction companies through Foundation of Oppressed and War Veterans since 1986. This is a significant finding as it reflects that the division between public and private sectors or between civil and political spheres is blurred in the case of Iran. This results in the emergence of public, private, or semi-public institutions having similar functions. In chapter 5 the author correctly notes that the overlap in the duties between the Ministry of RJ and Ministry of Agriculture resulted in President Mohammad Khatami's decision to unite these two ministries in 2001. Lob demonstrates how the dual institutional structure of the Islamic Republic operated in the case of RJ. The office of the representative of the Supreme Leader, which overshadowed the office of the Minister, remained in power even after RJ had been transformed into a ministry. In fact, the RJ itself has benefited from this dual state structure to access state funds. For example, in instances when the government has not allocated sufficient funds to the RJ, it applied directly to the Supreme Leader to increase its funding.This blurred distinction between public and private sectors continued even after the RJ was transformed into a ministry. In chapter 6 Lob spells out how the RJ played a major role in political, economic, and ideological spheres of the Islamic Republic. First of all, it was an effective institution in the factional politics of Iran. For instance, during President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's election campaign the ministry was instrumentalized to gather support for the Principlists. Second, with its developmental and populist policies, the RJ was an effective instrument of the state's social, cultural, and ideological practices. Finally, the RJ was also a major player in the economic sphere as its affiliated firms received projects and contracts through their contacts with the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad. Therefore, contextualizing the broad role of RJ provides a clearer understanding of the wider political, economic, and ideological institutional structures of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Lob's detailed account contributes to such efforts.Iran's Reconstruction Jihad also advances our understanding of the Islamic Republic's foreign policy. The examination of the foreign policy of Iran provided in chapters 7 and 8 is insightful and original, in the sense that it is not a repetition of the existing literature, which mainly concentrates on Iran's relations with the United States or the Middle East, especially the Shiʿi populated regions. In chapter 7, the author thoughtfully concentrates on Iran's (and the RJ's) relations with Africa, where Sunnis or non-Muslims form the majority of the population. In chapter 8, on the other hand, Lob concentrates on Islamic Republic's relations with Lebanon with his original and special effort to present the role of RJ in the development policies of the country. This initiative clearly indicates how Iranian foreign policy has changed with the transformation of a radical interpretation of revolution into a pragmatic understanding of it.The analysis of the RJ's developmental activities in Sub-Saharan Africa is a major piece of scholarship and contribution to the literature on Iran, since there are few studies concentrating on how Iran uses soft power in foreign policymaking. Lob, on the other hand, presents the instrumentalization of development by Iranian policymakers to reinforce the country's security by establishing diplomatic and commercial relations with Africa. Since its establishment, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been subjected to various international sanctions. Lob's examination of the Islamic Republic's relations with Africa also reveals how Iranian policymakers use relations with African states to mitigate isolation and circumvent sanctions. In this sense, the book stands out for its discussion of the importance and possibilities of South-South cooperation, as well as its limits.Even though there is an enormous literature on the Islamic Republic's relations with Lebanon, Lob was still able to produce an original contribution in chapter 8 with his specific concentration on the role of the RJ in Lebanon. The book discusses how the motivation to export revolution has resulted in RJ's policy of supporting and sponsoring Hizballah's effort to establish a similar organization. This led to the creation of Lebanese version of the RJ called Jihad al-Bina. This focus enabled the author to depict the complex relationship between Hizballah, IRGC, RJ, and Jihad al-Bina and to make remarkable contributions to the existing scholarship on Iran-Lebanon relations.One of the other crucial contributions of the book is that it traces the transformation of the cultural role of RJ and the concept of Jihad. At the last chapter, while discussing what the concept of “jihadi culture and management” means and why Iranian politicians and officials were frequently using the term, the author also presents the current political landscape in the Islamic Republic of Iran. By providing examples from politicians of different factions such as the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani, and the conservative Speaker of the Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the writer scrutinizes how the concept of jihadi culture is being propagated by the modern political elites. The discussion vividly reveals the rising popularity and visibility of the term “jihadi culture and management” during and after Rouhani's victory in 2013 presidential elections.In short, Lob's major piece of scholarship meticulously researches the instrumentalization of the RJ by the Islamic government to consolidate power at home and abroad. This detailed analysis of RJ as the soft power of the Iranian state also mirrors the Islamic Republic's broader evolution throughout the study. If there is a criticism of Lob's study, it is that the author indicates (in chapter 5) that even though there is rent-seeking behavior in the country the Iranian state cannot be defined as a rentier state. Therefore, he prefers to label the Islamic Republic of Iran as a developmental state. The criticism here is not related to the arguments or the findings of the author, but with his insufficient elaboration of the discussion. Both rentier state and developmental state literatures are built upon deep-rooted scholarly heritages and theoretical discussions. Therefore, describing the Iranian state as a developmental state without debating the vast literature on the topic, the author weakens his argument and therefore superficially approaches the discussion. However, the central aim of the book is not to discuss the Iranian state model, and so this criticism does not go beyond an intellectual contention.Another criticism may be directed at the analysis of the RJ's policies in Lebanon in chapter 8. The author at a certain point focuses more on Lebanon's version of RJ, instead of digging out the impact of the policies of the RJ and Iran in Lebanon. Even though he presents the complex relationship between these two organizations in the chapter, as a reader of a book structured around a specific institution, I expected to see more on the RJ's role in Lebanon. Despite these minor points of criticism, the book is a valuable resource and a comprehensive study that advances our understanding of the current political, economic, and ideological structures of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Popular Politics, the New State and the Birth of the Iranian Working Class: The 1929 Abadan Oil Refinery Strike

The problem and aim of the study. The primary issue addressed was the apparent gap in understanding the differential impact of these values on student integrity, particularly in diverse and multicultural settings. The aim was to explore the extent to which these values shaped students’ ethical and moral development and to determine if gender influenced this relationship. Research methods. This research employed a quantitative methodology grounded in an explanatory model. The study involved 370 participants from 26 randomly selected high schools in South Sumatra. Data was gathered using a closed ended Likert scale and analyzed using the Partial Least Square (PLS) approach, a method suitable for assessing complex relationships between variables. The study focused on three key variables: religious values, cultural values, and student integrity, with gender as the moderating variable. Results. The quantitative results of the study indicated that cultural values significantly positively impact student integrity, with a t-value of 4.390 and a P-value of 0.000. However, religious values did not show a significant positive effect on student integrity with a t-value of 1.826 and P-value of 0.069. In contrast, gender did moderate the relationship between cultural values and student integrity, indicating that both male and female students internalize and express cultural values differently, thereby enhancing student integrity. KEYWORDS cultural values, gender, religious values, student integrity Conclusion. The study concluded that cultural values significantly shaped student integrity, whereas religious values did not have a similar effect. Gender moderated the relationship between cultural values and student integrity but did not influence the relationship between religious values and integrity. This highlighted the need for educational strategies that emphasized cultural values and considered gender differences to promote integrity among students effectively. Future research was recommended to expand to different cultural and religious contexts to validate these findings and further explore the complex dynamics between these variables.

This research departs from the relationship between religion and culture. Both are different but have a close relationship and complement each other (influence). Leadership is action and behavior (leadership as act and behavior). Meanwhile, there are two sources of human action and behavior, namely religion and culture. Religion and culture have their respective values for humans. Religious values come from God while cultural values come from humans as actors of creation with members of the community. Human actions and behavior arise from the meaning of religious and cultural values. The question is whether leaders in Sundanese society are influenced by religious (Islam) and cultural values (Sundanese culture). This research chooses a study of Nyunda, Islamic (Nyantri) and Nyunda-Islami Leadership in Sundanese Leaders in West Java. This research method uses descriptive-analytic with the aim of getting a comprehensive picture related to the research focus. The results of this research show that religion and culture complement and influence leadership in Sundanese society. Religion and culture underwent a process of acculturation and assimilation, resulting in a dialectic between religious values (Islam) and cultural values (local wisdom), which gave birth to the philosophy or way of life of the Sundanese. One of them is the Sundanese leadership philosophy, namely the integration of religious and cultural values, which gave birth to three leadership characters in Sundanese society, namely (1). The Sundanese Leadership that Nunda. (2). Islamic Sundanese leadership (nyantri). (3). The Sundanese leadership that has both are Nyunda-Islami.

This study investigates the dynamics between local wisdom, cultural values, and religious values in fostering social awareness and improving student integrity. The research design is based on an explanatory model with a quantitative method approach. The results showed that religious values have no effect on student integrity; cultural values have an effect on student integrity; local wisdom has an effect on student integrity; social awareness affects student integrity; there is no effect of local wisdom on student integrity with the mediation of social awareness; social awareness is proven to indirectly mediate the effect of cultural values on student integrity; and social awareness is proven to indirectly mediate the effect of religious values on student integrity. The conclusion shows a clear relationship between local wisdom, cultural values, and religious values in their effect on student integrity; religious values alone have no effect. However, another finding is that the influence of cultural and religious values increases student integrity because social awareness has moderate effects. Social awareness has a direct effect on student integrity rather than acting as a mediator between cultural values and local wisdom. This research fills a gap in existing literature by exploring the collective effects and interactions of cultural and religious values on integrity mediated by social awareness, thereby offering insights for educational frameworks aiming to develop morally grounded and socially aware students.

‘The House is Black’, Rose Issa Projects, London, United Kingdom, October 14–November 14, 2013 ‘Interwoven Globe: The Worldwide Textile Trade, 1500–1800’, Metropolitan Museum of Art, September 16, 2013–5 January 2014 ‘Iran Modern’, Asia Society, New York City, September 6, 2013–January 5, 2014 ‘Nur: Light in Art and Science From the Islamic World’, Focus-Abengoa Foundation, Seville, Spain, October 2013–March 2014

Ian Craib highlights the messiness of ‘normal’ family practices in late modern society in an attempt to suggest that increased expectations, individualism and the intrusion of ‘experts’ have contributed to feelings of disappointment with one’s lot. In this chapter I introduce the reader to what becoming a mother is via cultural, political and social spheres, theoretically. All contribute to how mothers and fathers consider and experience their life course. Culturally, high expectations are abundant in view of the privileging of the ‘normal’, socially appropriate, aesthetically desirable and intellectually able, in childrearing and family practice. Political discourses on inclusive education, and partnership too, infer that difference is to be celebrated and embraced. Theoretical concepts aid me to frame an analysis in thinking through these experienced and abstract sociological issues. This chapter addresses these statements in introducing mothering and learning ‘disability’.

Gender and Dance in Modern Iran: Biopolitics on Stage

As too many scholars have argued, quite appropriately one must say, in order to understand accurately how schools operate and the interface between schools and society in general, one must engage in a relational analysis, a critical hermeneutical posture targeting not only class, gender, race, and ethnicity dynamics hooked within economic, cultural and political spheres, but also trying to perceive the elaborate interplay between such dynamics and spheres. Michael Apple & Lois Weis (1983, p. 25) – for whom ‘schools are part of the economic, political and cultural spheres’ – felicitously coined such interplay as the ‘dimensions of ideological production’ in which schools actually operate. Their position deserves to be highlighted:

As business organizations are one of the major contributors to polluting mother earth and causing sustainability issues, yet, they need to be utterly focused on its reformation, rehabilitation, and recovery. This cannot be done without their workforce's involvement and behavior modification. To lessen climate issues and protect the environment, we currently need a radical transformation in behavioral activities including sustainable consumption and production /services in our personal and professional lives, thus culture and religion are the key players in this aspect. For analyzing this we conducted a thorough bibliometric analysis, 1615 research articles on religion or religious values and sustainable behavior and 2099 research articles on culture or cultural values and sustainable behavior were retrieved from the Scopus data base, for the period 1993–2023, presenting global research tendencies on the subject of these values and sustainability at work place. It came out to the limelight that “sustainability” is the most sought-after keyword in all of these studies (19 % + ) in both themes. The study found that there is a dire need for cross-functional research so that dynamic multidimensional structures and patterns can be identified to achieve the collective future goal of sustainability. Religion or religious values and culture or culture values are found to be certain dimensions that have been gaining more and more attention in the domain of business and management since the last decade. These aspects can certainly bring dramatic changes both on individual and corporate levels.

The work ethic of the Madurese people is influenced by religious and cultural values, encouraging hard work, independence, and the spirit of wandering to achieve prosperity. Previous studies have shown that the high work ethic of Sukarara craftsmen is influenced by culture, religion, and self-actualization, but the results are limited to the local context. This study will reveal the unique work ethic of the Madurese people, rooted in cultural and religious values, creating a tenacious and adaptive attitude to achieve success amidst challenges. This qualitative research design uses in-depth interviews and ATLAS.ti for analysis, involving six informants with diverse backgrounds, to understand the work ethic of Madurese entrepreneurs. This study involved interviews with six Madurese entrepreneurs, highlighting their work ethic and income. The results show variations in income, with a strong work ethic as a key factor for success. The Sankey diagram illustrates the relationship between work ethic, social support, and positive attitudes. Madurese cultural values, such as persistence and responsibility, support the entrepreneurial spirit. The Theory of Planned Behavior shows the importance of attitudes, social norms, and perceived control in shaping work ethic. Cultural values and social support are crucial in shaping the work ethic of Madurese entrepreneurs. Further research needs to explore other variables that influence entrepreneurial success.

This study examines the influence of Indigenous cultural and religious values on intimate partner violence (IPV) service provision in Timor-Leste, where such values are integral to national identity, and the Catholic Church holds significant power. While Timor-Leste has prioritised strengthening survivor-centred approaches, the complex role of cultural and religious values in service provision remains underexplored. This study adopts a decolonising methodological approach to examine the interplay between culture, particularly Catholic values, and Timor-Leste's colonial history. This approach enables critical reflection on the lead researcher's positionality as an Indigenous Timorese woman, providing an emic perspective on representations of culture. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 service providers from the formal Gender-Based Violence (GBV) referral network in the Baucau and Dili municipalities. Thematic analysis of the way values were operationalised in provider narratives about their interaction with survivors of IPV reveals the intertwined influence of religion, culture, and human rights frameworks on everyday practice. The findings demonstrate how providers leveraged cultural and religious values for emotional support, advocacy, and connecting survivors with other services, including assistance with separation, while also demonstrating an understanding of survivors' wishes and adherence to formal justice processes. However, these values play complex and sometimes contradictory roles in service providers' response to IPV, revealing attitudes of victim blaming and minimising survivors' trauma. While these values have been identified as potential barriers to help-seeking behaviours among survivors and can contribute to the normalisation of abuse, they also serve as sources of emotional support and resilience for both survivors and providers. We advocate for a contextually sensitive approach to IPV interventions that move beyond reductive cultural narratives, recommending training programmes that adopt a decolonising lens, recognising generational trauma and the potential strengths of religious and culturally rooted values when integrated with trauma-informed care.