Document Type : Systematic Review

Authors

• Rahele Kardavani ¹
• Masoumeh Nafisirad ²

¹ Assistant Professor of Mehrestan Research Institute (Governance Studies), Isfahan , Iran

² Doctoral student of women and family studies, majoring in Family low, Qom university of Religions and Denominations, Qom , Iran

Abstract

In the past few decades, there have been significant global changes that have led to a decline in the appeal of the conventional female image and have sparked a sense of uncertainty over the compatibility of traditional and contemporary gender roles. Numerous studies have been conducted in the realm of women's identity within the context of Iran. To have a comprehensive understanding of the difficulties and strategies, as well as to identify the existing research gaps within this discipline, it is imperative to engage in secondary reading. The objective of the present study is to conduct a systematic review of the scholarly literature pertaining to the topic of women's identity in Iran during the 2000s and 2010s. Initially, a total of 421 quantitative and qualitative studies were identified through a systematic search. Following the application of predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, a final selection of 67 relevant and reliable studies was made.

Highlights

Background and Purpose

 Contemporary societies are witnessing the proliferation of technology and the formation of many cultures, with the global dissemination of modernism and modernization. These phenomena have contributed to the exacerbation of identity crises, particularly among young individuals and women. In addition to cultural transformations, shifts in the economic domain and the increased involvement of women in employment and income generation, the expansion of educational options for women and the broadening of their social networks have contributed to the proliferation of resources available for women to construct their identities. The profound ramifications of this process undermine the credibility of women's conventional societal roles, particularly among women who are employed and have attained higher education. The pursuit of higher education and women's participation in the workforce, although leading to the adoption of new values, attitudes, and perspectives, also presents challenges in reconciling women's old roles with their new responsibilities, hence contributing to an identity crisis among women (Jenkins, 2002).

Today, according to numerous scholars, the primary obstacle faced by the institution of family and Iranian women may be traced back to the matter of identity. Many Iranian women who are married and have children encounter this issue, and numerous studies have revealed that the root cause of various challenges faced by women in different aspects of their personal, social, and family lives can be attributed to shifts in the construction of their id9entities (Balbali, 2017). The average fertility of women has decreased due to the rising conflict between family roles, particularly motherhood, and women's social activities, which has been influenced by identity transformations and women's reevaluation of their identity dimensions (Drahaki et al., 2022).

The systematic review and synthesis of published studies and their findings is a crucial area of focus, particularly within the realm of social research. This revision facilitates the identification and analysis of the focal areas, gaps, and potential discrepancies within a significant study subject. The present study aims to address the question: "What are the determinants influencing the formation of women's identity in Iran, as evidenced by local studies conducted within the past two decades?"

Method

This study focuses on a population of studies written in Persian throughout the 2000s and 2010s, which examine the factors influencing the identity of women in Iran. In the preliminary investigation, a total of 421 research studies were identified, comprising 285 articles and 136 theses. These studies were selected based on certain criteria, including adherence to scientific research standards, avoidance of duplication, absence of direct relevance to the subject matter, falling outside the intended time frame, and possessing inadequate rigour and validity.

In all, a selection of 67 research studies, comprising 33 articles and 37 theses, met the criteria for inclusion in the review process. In instances where there is overlap between the subject matter of the article and the thesis, the inclusion of the thesis document in the final compilation was considered necessary to provide further information, while the article extracted from the final compilation was subsequently excluded from the list. Among the remaining 67 research studies, 27 have employed a qualitative methodology, while 40 have utilized a quantitative approach.

Results

The findings indicate that there has been a notable rise in scholarly investigations related to women's identity, particularly from the mid-1980s onwards, with the highest level of research activity observed in the early 2000s. Among the 67 research studies that were chosen, a majority of 59.70% were classified as quantitative research employing the positivism paradigm. Conversely, a minority of 40.29% were categorized as qualitative research utilizing the interpretative paradigm. Approximately 85% of the quantitative research studies are classified as descriptive-survey, whereas approximately 37.03% of the qualitative research studies are categorized as descriptive-analytical.

The existing body of study in this particular domain has explored several issues related to the identity of women. However, given the shifts in consumption behaviours and the influence of globalization, scholars have mostly concentrated on the redefinition of women's social identity and the determinants that impact it.

Numerous studies have presented and explored the variable of "level of education" as a significant factor in the analysis of women's identity in Iran and its impact on such identity. The findings of the study indicate a clear and significant correlation between the educational attainment of women, considered as an independent variable, and their identity in many social, personal, and gender-related aspects (Bayat, 2016; Talebi, 2015; Rajabi, 2017).The role of employment and its changing status emerges as a prominent and influential component in shaping the identity of women in Iran. The influence of age is an additional significant factor in shaping women's identity. The influence of marriage, marital status, and family income on many aspects of women's identity has been extensively examined in prior research (Rezaee Dareh Deh, 2011; Pishgahi Fard et al., 2009; Naqdi et al., 2018; Sohrabzadeh et al., 2018).

The results indicate that the younger women are, the more educated they are, and the greater their economic and social base, the more they reconsider their gender identity (Talabi, 2015: 304; Nourinik, 2015: 281). In the context of social and familial dynamics in 1990s Iran, as women approach a state of subjectivity characterized by factors such as higher education, economic autonomy, and elevated social standing, the likelihood of encountering conflicts, identity crises, and societal pressures is amplified for these individuals. In essence, despite the implementation and promotion of policies and legislation that have facilitated women's access to various aspects of contemporary living, the cultural unacceptability of women's subjectivity has given rise to conflicts and crises.

Discussion & Conclusion

The theoretical framework of social constructionism has been widely employed in research done in the topic of women's identity. This approach focuses on the process of identity construction within social interactions and highlights the historical context in which identities are constructed. It is an approach that rejects essentialism and places an emphasis on identity above natural differences. Instead, it views women's changing identities—which are influenced by factors like media consumption, career type, and educational attainment—as a natural development during historical transitions.

Research on women's identity in Iran has primarily focused on examining gender identity and social identity. These studies aim to understand how women's identities are shaped and redefined by many independent variables within the framework of the positivism paradigm. In contrast to the discourse around the family, the gender discourse assumes a major position in the analysis of identity. However, there has been a relative lack of emphasis given to the examination of women's roles within the family and the interplay between their identities as mothers and wives with their social and gender identities. One of the additional areas of research that remains unexplored in this particular topic relates to the examination of various elements that influence the formation of women's identity, particularly in relation to the diversity observed within target groups and across different regions of the country. Based on the reviewed studies, it is evident that there are several theoretical, problemological, and methodological aspects that can be subject to criticism. These aspects include the reduction of gender discourse, the limitation of social identity in understanding the subject matter, and the lack of diversity in the scope of the research. Furthermore, the predominance of a quantitative approach in research is also a noteworthy concern. To address these limitations, future research endeavors should consider adopting qualitative, critical, and mixed methods. Additionally, it is recommended that researchers select diverse target groups of women to gain a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the contexts, attitudes, consequences, and behaviors based on identity. It is crucial to pay attention to contemporary issues such as various fields of study, different job types and conditions, body management, music consumption, and emerging platforms like Instagram.

The examination of recent studies in the domain of identity and the influences impacting self-redefinition reveals that, in light of the evolution of sexuality, the matter of identity and gender reassignment surgeries, as well as self-perception across various physical, psychological, and social aspects, holds significant importance and has emerged as a novel and noteworthy concern within contemporary global social discourse. The intricate interplay between sex and gender across different fields can exacerbate the predicament surrounding women's identity, leading to a broader and more profound crisis concerning the factors that shape contemporary lifestyles and the dimensions of feminine embodiment. This is particularly evident in light of the multifaceted complexities associated with technology, the Internet, the construction of mental imagery, and the medicalization of the body. Future study in the topic of women's identity should be conducted using contemporary and influential characteristics to properly evaluate the present state of circumstances and thereafter formulate political and social solutions.

Keywords

• Systematic review
• women's identity
• gender identity
• identity-forming factors
• women's social identity

Main Subjects

• Woman and family