Center for Women's Studies and Research, University of Tehran International Journal of Women's Research 2322-3901 2 2 2013 12 01 Women in Turkey under Pressure of Inconsistent and Contradictory Legal Systems: Secular versus Islamic 5 16 50133 EN Fatma BostanÜnsal PhD Candidate, International Islamic University of Malaysia Journal Article 2014 05 05 As Turkey is officially a secular state and it adopts Swiss Civil Code, the state implements secular legal system. However, as people in Turkey are predominantly Muslim and theyare born and raised in a traditionally Muslim environment, people generally and especially women live under the influence of these two sometimes contradictory and inconsistent legal systems and customs. As a result, there are clashes and especially Muslim women are subjected to the negative impact of those clashes. So for example, women who wear headscarf because of being in line with Islamic principles face problems when they want to go to school or work or engage in politics. Or when they want to keep their maiden surname which is very mainstream practice in many Muslim societies, it becomes impossible for Muslim women in Turkey because of the secular Swiss Law. In the present paper the circumstances in which Muslim women live under these inconsistent and contradictory legal systems will be studied.

Center for Women's Studies and Research, University of Tehran International Journal of Women's Research 2322-3901 2 2 2013 12 01 Kiramat (Generosity) and the Status of Woman in Qur’an 17 32 50134 EN Nahla Gharavi Naeeni Professor, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modarres University Journal Article 2014 05 05 The story of the creation of man and woman in the Qur’an differs in fundamental ways from the story of creation in the Bible. The Qur’an explains that, contiguous with the creation of Adam, was the creation of his mate from the same material and essence. These two, Adam and Eve, hold equal positions as Allah’s khalafah(vicegerent) on earth. This article discusses the Kiramat(generosity) of women in the Qur’an with respect to their creation, status, understanding, ability to be guided, devoutness to God, and freedom to choose. It delineates the specific expression of kiramat for women in modest dress, behavior and in procreation. Her role as a mother places a unique burden upon her, not only to maintain her own status before Allah, but also to safeguard the spiritual health of children and prepare them to assume the role of vicegerent of Allah in the future.

Center for Women's Studies and Research, University of Tehran International Journal of Women's Research 2322-3901 2 2 2013 12 01 Women’s Employment and the Socio-Emotional Functions of the Family in Iran 33 44 50135 EN Rezvan Hakimzadeh Assistant Professor, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran Zeynab Hashemi Master of adult education, university of Tehran. Instructor, Abadeh Tashk Branch, Islamic Azad University Maryam Rafatjah Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran Journal Article 2014 05 05 The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between women’s employment and the socio-emotional functions of the family. For the purpose of this study, 300 women were selected through method among women living in district 11 of Tehran. 199 individuals were unemployed and 101 individuals were employed. They responded a researcher-made questionnaire which measured social and emotional functions of the family. Social functions of the family were assessed in three aspects of children’s academic achievement, children’s social adjustment, and women’s decision-making power in the family. Furthermore, emotional functions were assessed in two dimensions of women’s intimacy with their husbands and women’s involvement in making decisions about reproduction. The findings of the study indicated that in the social function of the family, there was no relationship between women’s employment and children’s social adjustment and academic achievement; however, there was a positive relationship between women’s employment and their decision-making power in the family. In the emotional function of the family, there was no relationship between women’s employment and their intimate relationships with their husbands or with their decision making about reproduction and fertility.

Center for Women's Studies and Research, University of Tehran International Journal of Women's Research 2322-3901 2 2 2013 12 01 Women as Role Models (Exemplary Women in the Holy Koran) 45 58 50136 EN Shahin Iravani Assistant Professor, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran Journal Article 2014 05 05 There are some ambiguities about the status of women in Islam, and this paper studies exemplary women in the holy Koran by content analysis, referring to valid interpretations. Its basic questions include: Koran’s method in introducing models, gender roles in Koran, and Koran’s criteria and modeling principles about exemplary women. The findings demonstrate that the Koran has acted very precisely to introduce models based on certain criteria. Koran uses the term “osveh” for “model” and discusses two kinds of models: positive and negative ones; and explains their characteristics and behaviors in a creative manner. Most of the required virtues stated in the holy Koran are common or similar for both genders, and some other virtues are embodied in women examples. The most significant of them is Mary who is praised as a very great human being, a believer and also a sign of God for all believers including men. Koran mentions that gender is not an obstacle for having freewill and independence in making decisions; and presents two women as examples for freewill; even though they usually are under greater pressure than men. The holy Koran concentrates on two virtues for all: standing against oppression and leading a pious life; and introduces two women as role models with such virtues, not men. Furthermore, the Koran introduces and praises a female governor who takes a different approach from men in governing a country and successfully manages complex issues such as war and peace. Instead of confronting the army of King Solomon, she took a diplomatic approach. Regarding women’s gender roles, motherhood and women’s role as a wife is greatly emphasized. In this regard, the holy Koran underlines the pivotal role of moving towards the right path; a woman accompanying her husband in this path is a perfect spouse, and on the contrary, a woman should not obey or accompany her husband if he is going astray. Furthermore, regarding motherhood, the holy Koran mentions mothers’ suffering and their love and protection for their children under the most severe conditions.

Center for Women's Studies and Research, University of Tehran International Journal of Women's Research 2322-3901 2 2 2013 12 01 A Sociological Study of Iranian Women’s Role in Fictional Literature in the Recent Two Decades 59 72 50137 EN Samira Saeidian M. A in British Studies, University of Tehran Seyed Rouhollah Hosseini Assistant Professor, French Studies, Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran Journal Article 2014 05 05 Fictional literature has experiencedan increasing and stunning growth of women writers in the past two decades. In terms of quality and quantity, the increase was to the extent that nowadays women’s names are mentioned sometimes even more than men’s amongthe distinguished writers ofcontemporary Iranian literature. On the other hand, these authors have often chosen the novel as their main literary form. From the sociological view of novel and of critics such as George Lukacs, the growth of women in fiction writingsmake sense in the context of social and cultural developments of contemporary Iran,finding ways to pass the society toward modernity. In fact in this paper we assume that this unprecedented growth is due to the general conditions dominant over the intellectual and social environment of Iran and the transition of the society from traditional to amodern one; and amongother important factors regarding modernity, in this paper individuality is considered as the main element whose formation and evolutionthrough the history of modernity in Iran, has eventually led to a phenomenon we face today, i.e. the dramatic growth of female writers. In other words, individuality or female individuation is the factor that has moved its way inspite of various political, cultural and social changes, and brought along other results which led to the stunning emergence of women in writing.

Center for Women's Studies and Research, University of Tehran International Journal of Women's Research 2322-3901 2 2 2013 12 01 The Role of Gender in Photographic Works: Do Men and Women Capture Different Photographs? 73 88 50138 EN Mohammad Sattari Assistant Professor, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran Sadegh Mousavi -M.A. Student of Photography, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran Journal Article 2014 05 05 Gender usually plays a significant role in the works of photographers and causes men and women to take different photographs. Nowadays, photographs and photography have a crucial and pivotal status in societies. The majority of the events and accidents unfolding in various parts of the world are communicated to the people via newspapers, magazines, internet and television, and undoubtedly, photographs play an imperative role in all of these media. It is not surprising that photography is called ‘the eyes of modernity’ and imagining the world without photographs is very difficult. Additionally, one of the topics that researchers have paid a lot of attention to in the past century is the subject of gender, and the similarities and differences between men and women. Female photographers have always been an irrefutable part of the history of photography, and today, we are seeing a dramatic growth in their presence and success in different genres of photography. Hence, this question is raised that ‘do men and women capture different photographs?’ Some valuable researches have been carried out in the past decades on the subject of gender and also the differences between how men and women see, but only a few have focused on the differences between male and female photographers. In this article, the hypothesis was accepted by assessing the following aspects: studying the differences between men’s and women’s point of gaze (where one is looking); examining the differences between male and female photographer’s emotions; studying and comparing the works of various photographers; examining the working conditions of photographers; reviewing the different reactions a single subject might have towards a male or female photographer; and finally, studying some of the interviews and memoirs of successful photographers. Generally female photographers are more drawn to story, narrative and emotion, but many males are also drawn to such subjects; male photographers are more drawn to technical and action-filled subjects, but many females are also drawn to such subjects. Hence, for each stereotype regarding photographs and gender, numerous photographers or photographs can be found that challenge or defy it. Men and women capture different photographs but this should not give us the excuse to impose our stereotypes and clichés on a particular photographer, whether male or female.

Center for Women's Studies and Research, University of Tehran International Journal of Women's Research 2322-3901 2 2 2013 12 01 Persian Abstract 89 92 50139 EN Journal Article 2014 05 05