Voices from Iran : The Changing Lives of Iranian Women (Gender, Culture, and Politics in the Middle East)

In the late 1990s, Mahnaz Kousha interviewed 15 Iranian women in Tehran who originally came from cities and towns throughout Iran. The youngest was 38, the eldest in her 50s. Extensive excerpts from their dialogues comprise the heart of this volume. The women explore their relationships with their mothers, fathers, husbands and children. They reflect upon the institutions of courtship and marriage and address issues of childcare, housework and women's employment. They talk openly about their concerns, ambitions and frustrations. Finally, they discuss everyday personal problems and the solutions they devise to cope with such difficulties. Offset by commentary, the conversations offer firsthand insights into the life experiences of the modern Iranian woman and her search for identity. Aiming to fill a gap in the study of gender and family relationships in Iran, the books footnotes on similar studies in the US and other countries mean the text should be relevant beyond Iran and the Middle East.