Scholars Analyze the Intersections of Gender, Revolution, and Diaspora in Iran
The Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP), in collaboration with the British Society for Middle East Studies (BRISMES) and the Italian Society for Middle East Studies (SeSaMO), recently launched the “Iran in Context” series. This initiative focuses on the deeper context behind the political and military convulsions in Iran over the last year, specifically examining how gender dynamics and revolutionary movements intersect.
The Role of Gender in Iranian Revolutionary Movements
The inaugural discussion featured scholars Manijeh Moradian, an assistant professor of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Barnard College, and Nazanin Shahrokni, an associate professor of International Studies at Simon Fraser University. The conversation centered on the evolution of feminist activism in Iran and the transnational implications of these movements.
According to Moradian’s research in *This Flame Within: Iranian Revolutionaries in the United States*, the Iranian diaspora plays a role in shaping the global understanding of domestic uprisings. Her work argues that feminist solidarity often transcends geographical boundaries, linking activists inside Iran with those in the United States and elsewhere. In her article “Feminist Uprising in Iran and the Politics of Solidarity” published in *Meridians*, Moradian emphasizes that the current wave of protests is not a sudden rupture but part of a long-standing tradition of feminist resistance.
Geopolitics and the Politics of Gender Segregation
Nazanin Shahrokni’s work provides a framework for understanding how gender segregation functions as a tool of state control. In her book *Women in Place: The Politics of Gender Segregation in Iran*, Shahrokni details how the Iranian state has historically utilized physical and social spaces to regulate women’s lives.
Shahrokni’s analysis also addresses the geopolitical dimensions of representation. In her piece “Who Speaks for Iran?–and From Where?” published in the journal *SPECTRE* in March 2026, she explores the complexities of who is permitted to represent the Iranian experience on the global stage. She contends that these representations are often filtered through Western geopolitical interests, which can obscure the nuanced demands of activists on the ground.
Key Academic Perspectives on Iranian Social Movements
The scholarly contributions from this series highlight several critical themes regarding modern Iran:
* Transnational Solidarity: Research by Moradian suggests that Iranian feminist movements are increasingly “decolonial” in nature, challenging both internal state oppression and external Western narratives.
* Spatial Control: Shahrokni’s research demonstrates that gender segregation is not merely a social custom but a deliberate state policy designed to maintain political order.
* Historical Continuity: Both scholars argue against viewing recent protests as isolated events, instead situating them within a broader history of revolutionary struggle.
Academic Resources and Further Reading
The “Iran in Context” series aims to provide deeper academic rigor to the public discourse surrounding Iran. The following peer-reviewed works offer further insight into the themes discussed:
* Manijeh Moradian: *This Flame Within: Iranian Revolutionaries in the United States* (Duke University Press, 2022); “Decolonial Diasporas: Iranian Feminist Solidarity in Global Context” (*Iranian Studies*, 2025); “Embodying Revolution: Situating Iran within Transnational Feminist Solidarities” (*Radical History Review*, 2024).
* Nazanin Shahrokni: *Women in Place: The Politics of Gender Segregation in Iran* (University of California Press, 2020).
The collaboration between MERIP, BRISMES, and SeSaMO continues as they host further conversations aimed at bridging the gap between academic research and public understanding of the political and military convulsions in Iran.