Woman Life Freedom Uprising Main Menu Woman, Life, Freedom Iran, Islam & the Inevitable Contextualizing the Islamization of Iran The Making of the Modern Woman Icons & Personas of Woman Life Freedom Origins of the Uprising Freedom through the Female The Writing in the Margins Nasleh Zed's Youthful Uprising Soundtracking Woman Life Freedom Urban Canvases of the Uprising Feminist Placemaking of a Digital Uprising Afterlives of Woman, Life, Freedom WLF Resources Here you will find our sources all compiled in one place

Secular Streets

45871
Iran's youth have become less religious due to the relationship of faith now being deeply connected to social and political issues. This is changing the generation's attitudes toward religion in a negative direction. Although the Islamic Revolution of 1979 was “cited as evidence of the return of religion in the modern age,” the practice of religion has declined significantly among Iranians, especially the youth (p.115).
Kazemipur makes an argument with the “rational-choice theory,” a new framework that states citizens approach religion in a calculated manner, based on what is best for themselves and their benefits versus their losses (p. 116). Statistical measurements from the NSVA survey of 2000 were applied to multidimensional scaling, comparing people's beliefs, practices, and individual and collective aspects of religion. The most significant area of this chart is Zone C, showing that societal and political implications had a strong presence in people’s religious beliefs (Page 119). Iranian youth do not want to engage in traditional practices because these no longer represent religion. Instead, they symbolize the political state and restrictions on personal freedom.



In addition, Kazemipur presents another data analysis, showing that “all the correlation coefficients between the conventional dimensions of religiosity and the religio-political dimension are negative” (p. 120). This evidence highlights that as young Iranians become more involved in the politics of Islam in the government, they increasingly distance themselves from conventional religious practices. In 2000, those who “never participate in collective prayers” jumped from 0 to 49 percent (p. 122). Iranians are viewing religion as the root of their oppression, causing them to reject the religion altogether.

Women have also become targets of the oppression stemming from certain interpretations of Islam, facing increasing adversities such as lack of education, restricted marriage rights (including divorce and polygamy), and more (p. 148). When the youth links practicing their religion as standing in opposition to these damaging issues it only decreases the affiliation rate. What they used to practice has become associated with the very issues they seek to escape.

- K.A. 

References:

Wellman, Rose. “Sacred as Secular: Secularization Under Theocracy in Iran, by ABDOLMOHAMMAD KAZEMIPUR.” Sociology of Religion 84, no. 2 (January 5, 2023): 234–35. https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srac041.

CBN News. 2020. “Seismic Change Grips Iran as Population Turns More Secular, Less Religious.” YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFVsvl7zUAE.

WION. 2024. “Government Study Shows That Iranians Now Less Religious | WION.” YouTube. February 26, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMWMEDfeMMk.

Nayeri, Dina. 2022. “Why Is Iran’s Secular Shift so Hard to Believe?” Intelligencer. October 21, 2022. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/iran-secular-shift-gamaan.html.

This page has paths:

  1. The Making of the Modern Woman Kimia
  2. Khers Asali Asal Khers

Contents of this tag:

  1. Faith and Identity Under Pressure
  2. The schoolgirls of Revolution
  3. Islam in Iran

This page references: