Iranian Women Reveal Their Lives: The First Generation

Persian women born in the late 19th century and first half of the 20th century were products of a period of major social and cultural change. For the first time, an educated female could envision a life beyond the conservative ideal of a woman’s proper place in the home. We will use memoirs of women who were able to contribute to Iranian society and interviews with women whose ambitions were inhibited or repressed by the dominance of patriarchal culture. Poems by women of this early generation vividly reveal both anger and hopes for the future. Memories of a Persian Childhood helps us to appreciate the important role of the family and childhood experience in the lives and ambitions of the first generation of Persian women to be unveiled and have access to a modern education. Both the Course Readings and Seminar Discussions are crucial to this course for exploring Persian women as individuals who grappled with the challenge of government initiatives and social conservatism. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.