The quiet encroachment of women’s agency through travel

Abstract

ABSTRACT Agency is tied to the middle and upper classes in many studies. In contrast, it is more often associated with the lower middle class in terms of subjugation. This study tries to show the opposite of current theories by exploring how lower middle class Muslim women travel in Iran. Participant observation and interviews with 50 Iranian religious women from the lower middle class of society who were selected by considering two economic variables (lower jobs) and education (diploma and lower) were used to collect data. The results show that although the progress of religious and traditional Iranian women in daily life is hidden and slow, these women could show their agency to some extent through travel. These women are also consciously seeking to redistribute their possibilities and opportunities. This study was an attempt to end the vague image and negative stereotypes of the Iranian Muslim woman, who is commonly known as an oppressed, miserable, inferior, and submissive being. This was done by seeing a Muslim woman through the lens of travel. As part of this research, we look beyond stereotypes about Iranian women to look at travel as a tool for agency.