Iran Padlet Research Project by Cayden Hall

1. What religions are represented in the population of Iran after 1979? (after the Islamic revolution?)

caydenhall1 — 2025-01-29 13:42:38 UTC

99.38% of the population are Muslim. Christians make up 0.16%, Zoroastrians 0.03%, and Jews 0.01%. Other religions add to 0.07%, and 0.35% of the population did not declare their religion.

(Thomas’s Question)

2. What is the role of women in society after the revolution?

caydenhall1 — 2025-01-29 13:43:29 UTC

Before the revolution, women had been making strides towards greater social, political, and economic freedoms and they were originally excited for the potential changes. But that hope soon turned to disappointment as the new regime imposed strict regulations on their rights and freedoms. However, the post-revolution period saw a rollback of many of these gains. The new regime imposed strict dress codes, requiring women to wear the hijab. Women's rights in areas such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance were also restricted, their participation in the workforce was limited by policies that prioritized male employment, and women's political representation was reduced, and their involvement in public life was heavily regulated. Despite all of these setbacks and challenges, Iranian women have continued their resilience and advocated for their rights and equality, discontent with their situation even now in 2024 as things continue to get worse with new laws like: "Law on Protecting the Family through the Promotion of the Culture of Chastity and Hijab," imposing severe penalties on women including the death penalty, flogging, long prison sentences, and more all to women who defy compulsory veiling laws. The law also reinforces their restrictions on education, employment, and travel. They even have opened a "hijab removal treatment clinic" meant for “treating” women who refuse to wear the hijab and is a further attempt to control and oppress women even with international communities expressing dissatisfaction over the new laws like Amnesty International who continue to urge the UN and governments worldwide to condemn them for these actions.

Summarized version: Before the revolution, Iranian women had made progress towards social, political, and economic freedoms. However, the new regime imposed strict regulations, including dress codes, restricted rights in marriage, divorce, inheritance, and workforce participation. Women's political representation and public life involvement were heavily regulated. Despite these challenges, Iranian women continue to advocate for their rights and equality. New laws, such as the "Law on Protecting the Family through the Promotion of the Culture of Chastity and Hijab," continue to impose severe penalties on women.

(Cayden's question.)

3. Describe the education system in Iran, including higher education (universities) for most of the population after 1979?

caydenhall1 — 2025-01-29 13:43:38 UTC

It underwent major changes and the public schooling system was put under the control of the Ministry of Education and Training, while the Ministry of higher education and Culture were controlling universities. More people were enrolled into Universities and higher education as well.

(Elijah’s question.)

4. What has changed about the traditional family structure of Iran?

caydenhall1 — 2025-01-29 13:43:47 UTC

The decline in family sizes increased due to modern technology such as birth control and implants.

Women have gained more educational and employment opportunities due to human rights movements.

Global influence on Iran has given rise to individualism such as freedom in mate selection and increased divorce rates.

Families have no limit on size.

Families can be free of their religion or choose to follow a different religion.

(Peyton’s question.)

Works Cited

caydenhall1 — 2025-01-29 20:16:36 UTC

Sources:

Of Iran, Statistical Center. “Selected Findings of the 2011 National Population and Housing Cenus.” Unstats.un.org, 2011 Population and housing Genus, 2011, unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/census/documents/Iran/Iran-2011-Census-Results.pdf . Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.
‌
BBC. “Iranian Women - before and after the Islamic Revolution.” BBC News, 7 Feb. 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47032829, Wilson Center. “Reconstructed Lives: Women and Iran’s Islamic Revolution | Wilson Center.” Www.wilsoncenter.org, 13 Oct. 1997, www.wilsoncenter.org/article/reconstructed-lives-women-and-irans-islamic-revolution, Mouritsen, Sofia. Active Resistors: The Women of Post-Revolution Iran. 2017, Zamani, Sepideh . “Iranian Daughters: Struggling for the Rights Their Mothers Lost in the Revolution.” The Washington Institute, 13 Jan. 2023, www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/iranian-daughters-struggling-rights-their-mothers-lost-revolution, Parsa, Fariba. “The Role of Women in Building Iran’s Future.” Middle East Institute, 24 Mar. 2020, www.mei.edu/publications/role-women-building-irans-future, Esfandiari, Haleh. “The Women’s Movement.” Usip.org, 6 Oct. 2010, iranprimer.usip.org/resource/womens-movement.
Sources: Iran - Education, Literacy, Schools | Britannica Oryoie, Ali Reza; Vahidmanesh, Atiyeh (2022-06-01). "The Rate of Return to Education in Iran". Journal of the Knowledge Economy. 13 (2): 813–829. doi:10.1007/s13132-021-00760-7. ISSN 1868-7873. Iran Education System by Max Hall on Prezi
AliReza. “Marriage, Family, and Women in Iranian Life.” Iran in a Promised Borderless World!, 15 Aug. 2019, www.knowaboutiran.com/marriage-family-and-women-in-iranian-life/.
‌