Discourse Formulation of the Modern Woman Subject in the Discourses of Constitutional Era

• Published in: زن در توسعه و سیاست Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 319 - 352
• Main Authors: Zohreh Omidipour, Ali Rajabloo, Susan Bastani
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Persian
• Published: Center for women's and family Studies ,University of Tehran 01-06-2024
• Subjects: critical discourse analysis; discourse; modern woman; modernity; traditional woman
• ISSN: 2538-3124; 2538-3132
• DOI: 10.22059/jwdp.2024.367444.1008399

Amidst Iran's confrontation with Western modernity and the subsequent discursive conflicts, women's lives, identities, and living conditions came to the forefront as prominent topics of discourse. This resulted in an extensive array of discussions concerning them, thereby transforming women into a subject of tension. This article analyzes the discourses that emerged concerning women in the writings of the Constitutional era. It employs critical discourse analysis to investigate how the modern woman subject was formulated in the most prominent discourses of this era. The objective of this study is to comprehend the ideologies that govern each discourse of the Constitutional era as they pertain to the modern woman subject. Additionally, the position and status of each discourse within the hegemonic discourse are examined. The results suggest that the progressive discourse presents the modern woman as a demanding and critical subject, having been formed in opposition to tradition. Conversely, the traditional discourse depicts her as a liberated and European-like figure. In the midst of these semantic disputes, the integrative discourse constructs the subject of a woman who is acknowledged as a conscientious, Sharia-compliant, and duty-oriented individual. The integrative discourse's construction of meaning, which avoided explicit conflict with religious traditions, attained a more advantageous position and has maintained its existence throughout subsequent eras.