Islamic feminism as an inquiry into the creation of Mothers’ Paradise Women-Only Park, Tehran

Abstract

Iran has a history full of contradictions because of ideologies behind the governments ruling before and after the happening of Islamic Revolution in 1979. Islam opened new chapter for women’s social and political status and it has made the country to experience different approaches towards feminism and contrasting changes in urban context and management. In the first place, this thesis portrays perspectives of feminism in both periods, then it maintains the Islamic feminist ideas which is the production of Islamic government and a new discourse in rethinking gender-related issues. Secondly, it studies descriptive knowledge of socio-political outlooks and changes through administration and direction of the urban form of capital city, Tehran. Then, as one of the findings, it introduces organizations run by women, working under the ruling system of Tehran Municipality, who were the key initiators and organizers in establishing spaces like women-only parks. Thirdly, this research aims to find signs of Islamic feminism in the creation process of Mothers’ Paradise, the first women-only park in Tehran which is located on the East edge of Abbas Abad land, by examining the existing physical form of the park. Since there is limited research regarding this connection, this thesis aims to study if there is any relationship between discourse of so-called Islamic feminism after the Islamic Revolution in general and Mothers’ Paradise Women-only Park.