Abstract

In a comprehensive and original analysis, Parvin Paidar considers the role of women in the political process of twentieth-century Iran and demonstrates how political reorganization has redefined their position. Challenging the view expressed by conventional scholarship that emphasizes the marginalization of Muslim women, the author asserts that gender issues are right at the heart of the political process in Iran. The implications of the study bear on the position of women throughout the Middle East and in the developing countries generally.