Document Type : Research/Original/Regular

Authors

• Parviz Amini ¹
• Amirhosein Ramezani Bidgoli ²
• Mohammad Tohidirad ²

¹ Assistant professor, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

² Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The social-political events and tensions of the end of September 2022 showed a normative change in the hijab issue in Iranian society. One of the major focal points in this normative change is the negative and effective role and function that the Persian language media of the governments hostile to the Islamic Republic and its opposition have played in this matter.The current research has investigated the content of four main satellite channels using the qualitative content analysis method based on representational literature. The results of this research include fourteen sub-axis: normalization of not veiling against the non-mahram, highlighting of anti-cultural events, normalization of hijab from Sharia to secular social issue, de-normization of the cultural and moral norms of the society beyond hijab, growth of nudity in visual content, use of famous faces. Art and sports, using the capacity of poetry and music, placing the hijab against the professional development of women, launching virtual and media campaigns, creating social costs for veiled people, expanding western cultural occasions and rituals, using the capacity of Iranians abroad, using the capacity Emotions were a discourse analogy between the Islamic Republic of Iran and anti-women groups in the norm of hijab and a main axis that shows that these media have used fourteen main strategies to change the norm in Islamic hijab. These strategies have pursued the change of the hijab normative system as a common goal.

Highlights

Background and Purpose

 The social and political occurrences and conflicts that transpired in late September 2022 demonstrated a shift in societal norms on the matter of hijab throughout Iranian culture. One prominent aspect of this normative shift pertains to the detrimental and influential role and function carried out by Persian-language media outlets affiliated with governments that are adversarial to the Islamic Republic, as well as those aligned with its opposition, in relation to this issue. The examination of the hijab issue's tension-inducing aspects necessitates careful consideration of the Persian-language satellite television channels, predominantly reliant on external governments. Within this particular context, the Supreme Leader of the Revolution has consistently emphasized the significant role that women play in shaping the education of subsequent generations. In a segment of his pronouncements, he has expressed the following sentiment: "The Islamic faith places great value on the institution of the family." The contemporary conflict between Western loudspeakers and propaganda horns inside the Muslim community revolves around this matter. The level of sensitivity displayed towards the topic of "Hijab" is readily apparent. The point of disagreement is as follows. In their promotional campaigns, it is a recurring theme for them to assert that women's rights have been infringed upon within the context of Islam or the Islamic Republic. They do not believe in this situation, and they are aware that women's rights in the Islamic Republic have been strengthened rather than weakened." (Khamenei, 1991). Upon examining the focal point of the leader of the Islamic Revolution, it may be posited that women's Islamic clothing is acknowledged as a prominent symbol and representation of the Islamic Republic. Consequently, the act of dropping this flag will serve as a catalyst for the transformation of the Islamic Republic's system. The evident scrutiny directed at the Islamic hijab signifies more than a singular assault on an Islamic emblem but rather reflects a broader hostility to the Islamic system. Hence, it is plausible that foreign nations engaged in political conflicts with the Islamic Republic of Iran may persistently endeavor to influence a shift in the Iranian Islamic way of life towards a Western and non-Islamic orientation. This is primarily due to the understanding that alterations in the Islamic lifestyle inherently result in associated shifts in attitudes towards hijab and women's clothing, which are integral components of Islamic cultural practices. The present study draws upon the theoretical literature pertaining to media representation and the domain of soft war. Stuart Hall posits that representation constitutes an integral component of the meaning-making process and its dissemination within a given cultural context. This process encompasses the utilization of language, signs, and gestures to symbolically depict various concepts (Hall & Jhally, 2007). Another theoretical framework utilized in this study is the concept of framing. Framing theory operates under the premise that the manner in which a particular subject or occurrence is portrayed in news coverage has a significant impact on the audience's perception of that subject or occurrence (Sheifel & Tewksbury , 2007). The media, by the act of framing events, provide a distinct and well-defined cognitive framework for the public, so shaping their perception of the world and their comprehension of reality in accordance with the perspectives presented by the media (Sheifel,1999).

The field of soft war also forms another part of the theoretical literature of this research. Joseph Nye considers soft threat as a country's use of soft power to manipulate the public opinion of the target country and change their political preferences, attitudes, and behaviors. (Nye, 2009). Therefore, the current research has sought to answer these questions by examining the performance of the most watched tv channels under the topic of Islamic clothing and hijab; what are the media strategies of these tv channels against the category of the law of Islamic clothing and hijab? What is the main focus of these strategies? And what goals and desires are sought by these strategies? The findings of this research, which are the result of three levels of coding, are in line with the answer to these three questions.

Method

The research employed qualitative content analysis as the chosen research method in order to effectively address the primary objective of investigating the strategies and tactics employed by Persian-speaking television channels in managing the issue of hijab within Iranian society. Qualitative content analysis is a systematic and empirical method used to analyze textual data within its communicative context. This methodology employs text analytical rules and stage models without hastily resorting to quantification (Meiring, 2000). The qualitative content analysis employed an inductive approach. The inductive content analysis method involves the researcher refraining from utilizing predetermined classifications and instead permitting the classes and their labels to arise organically from the data (Shannon, 2005). This study focused on Persian-language satellite television channels that have garnered an audience share of over 10%. Hence, within the cohort of Persian-language satellite television channels catering to the Iranian community, consisting of 207 channels as reported by IRIB Monitoring in 2022, our study focuses on four specific channels: Iran International, BBC Persian, Manoto, and Voice of America. The researchers opted for a purposeful non-random sampling (also known as judgemental sampling) technique in order to attain the desired outcomes based on the capabilities and expertise of the study team. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the long-term strategies employed by these media agencies, an analysis was conducted on television channels that have been in operation for a duration exceeding three years. This analysis encompassed various aspects, including the examination of news segments. Upon completion of data collection, the researchers employed the constant comparison technique to conduct a three-step coding process, ultimately resulting in the development of the final study model.

Results

The process of open coding yielded a total of fourteen sub-categories, which emerged as the main strategy employed to undermine the practice of wearing hijab and other Islamic clothing while simultaneously advocating for societal norms that discourage the use of such clothing. The primary aim of the media operations analyzed in this study was the core category of "altering normative system and attitudes towards hijab: challenging the taboo, promoting acceptance, and fostering tolerance." This focus was consistently prioritized throughout every strategy employed by the media. This section provides a description of the fourteen strategies, while the concluding section presents and discusses the final model. The results of the present study are presented in a concise format in the table provided.

Table 1. Findings from three-step coding

Discussion & Conclusion

In conclusion, the results of the two-stage coding process provide insights into the answer to the third research question, which focuses on the goals and demands of the strategies mentioned. Specifically, the media operation model of Persian language channels can be categorized into three stages. The three stages can be implemented simultaneously in certain areas. During the initial stage, there is a noticeable transformation in both the societal values and the normative framework over a moderate period of time. After establishing the essential framework to transform societal norms, standards, and values regarding covering and hijab, the media now approaches the subsequent stage of this process with greater seriousness. This stage focuses on the hijab becoming a contentious issue between a segment of society and the government. The hijab has been widely recognized as a significant emblem of the Islamic Revolution and the governance of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Consequently, opponents have identified the "hijab" as a primary source of contention between the people and the ruling authorities. Following the identification of the divergence in adherence to Islamic dress regulations as a source of tension between a specific segment of society and the government, the aforementioned entities were actively seeking an occasion to manifest this conflict and transition it from a conceptual realm to a tangible one, thereby inciting a physical confrontation. Hence, it can be posited that the objective of Persian-language opposition outlets is to challenge the Islamic Republic by seeking to modify or undermine the political system through a transformation in societal values and normative framework.

Keywords

• Hijab
• Persian-language Satellite Television Channels
• Value system of society
• Qualitative Content Analysis

Main Subjects

• Woman and family