Investigating the phenomenon of feminism and analyzing the content of payam zan and women's magazines in this regard from 1970 to 1978

Dissertation for receiving Master degree (M.A)

Trend: social communication research

Dissertation abstract (including summary, objectives, implementation methods and results obtained):

Feminism is one of the epistemic and social phenomena of the new era, which was formed with special historical contexts, has had a great impact in its evolution in the West and Islamic countries and has caused different theoretical and practical reactions.

The study of this phenomenon based on the statements and writings of its claimants is essential for Islamic researchers and thinkers.

In this study, one should have sufficient knowledge of historical contexts, epistemic and social foundations, social and political movements.

This collection seeks to give a real and practical report of this emerging phenomenon, without any judgment and judgment, to briefly study the issues related to it. Therefore, a selection of articles on the history, foundations and common perceptions of feminism with political, social and to some extent Islamic perspectives have been reviewed.

From the review of the history of this phenomenon, different schools of attitude towards feminism have been discussed and then, after looking at the origin and formation process of this phenomenon in Iran, by analyzing the content of the two magazines Zannan and Payam Zan, it has paid attention to the place of feminist thought in women's publications. Hoping that this collection will be liked and useful by those who are interested.

Key words: women, feminism, the West, Iran

A brief history of the development of feminist theories

The thinkers of the Enlightenment period (late 17th to late 18th century AD) under the influence of new scientific and philosophical inventions and discoveries, founded a new worldview. The discoveries of Galileo and especially Newton were the core of this new understanding of the world system in this period. From the point of view of Newton's worldview, the order of the universe is dominated by a series of simple rules and laws, whose existence can be proven and checked through mathematical formulas. Under the influence of such a view, thinkers in other fields such as politics and ethics also sought to discover the main and fundamental laws because the consistency of these systems depended on their legalization. For example, the theory of "natural rights of individuals" which is the basis of the American Declaration of Independence in 1776 AD and the French Declaration of Human Rights in 1789 AD. It is a result of the influence of Newton's worldview in the political thinking of the Enlightenment period.

This mechanical attitude divides the world into rational and non-rational groups. The objective world and what works based on wisdom and can be explained is the creator of the relative world. What is related to the mental world, moral values, aesthetic ideas and emotions make the non-rational world, which is considered secondary to the rational world. From the perspective of intellectuals and humanitarians of the Enlightenment period, women belong to this non-rational and secondary world. A close and careful examination of the works of this era shows that when Sobhat spoke of the application of "natural rights" to human society, this society meant men, especially the men at the head of the owner's family, and not women and slaves.

In the spring of 1779, Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, the president of the United States at the time and one of the leaders of the American Declaration of Independence, issued a famous letter entitled "Let the ladies remember" to her husband, noting that "While writing new laws and declaration of independence, don't forget women and don't put unlimited power in the hands of their husbands. If that happens, we ladies will start a rebellion and we will not consider ourselves obliged to comply with laws that we have no right to draft and we cannot have a representative among those who draft them." 1

After receiving this letter, John Adams in a note to James Sullivan, one of the other people involved in the new writing and the Declaration of Independence, who wanted the right to vote for the entire government, both owners and non-owners, notes: "True It is that the moral foundation of the government is based on the consent of the people, but if we give the right to anyone, both those who own property and those who do not have property, then other groups, such as women and youth who have no value, will want the right to vote. All the distinctions in the society will disappear and everyone will be in the same category." 2 In general, what was mentioned in the name of natural and human rights in this period did not include women. The American Declaration of Independence, like the French Declaration of Human Rights, did not grant women any rights.After the publication of the declaration called "Men's Rights", she faced the opposition of French revolutionary women, and Mrs. Olympe Degong, one of the revolutionary leaders of Paris, and her comrades, after publishing a new declaration called "Women's Rights" and objecting to the declaration of human rights, which only considered the rights reserved for men, they lost their heads under the guillotine for the crime of being anti-revolutionary. In England, thinkers such as John Locke, in the book "Argument on Political Economy" and Immanuel Kant in "Relations between the Sexes", practically deny any legal rights and rights for women, especially after marriage. "Subjugation of women" criticizes the misogynistic position of the society and the thinkers of its element. In January 1792, the first basic work in the field of the theories of the believers in the originality of women called "The Vindication of the Rights of Women" was published in England by Mary Wollstonecraft. Wollstonecraft joins the exiles during the French Revolution. After following the great revolution, like other revolutionary intellectuals, he was forced to flee from France to save his life, and on his return, he published his famous book. Based on the ideas presented in this book, there is no racial, sexual or skill difference between men and women. The differences that exist between these two groups are the result of the social environment, and with the reform of the society, these differences disappear. Wollstonecraft and other theorists of feminism such as Sara Grimke (1873-1792), Frances Wright (1852-1790), Harriet Taylor (1873-1806) and Ja Stuart Mill (1873-1806) form the group of liberal feminists. Their main message is that the corruption of the socialization process has hindered the development of women's intellectual power, as a result, they remain slaves and have no purpose in life other than "to serve men". According to this group, men and women are essentially the same. In the eyes of liberal feminists, individual reasoning was more important than traditions and established institutions in society, and they considered education, especially critical thinking, to be the most important means for social change and excellence. This group, like other scientists of the Age of Enlightenment, supported the theory of "natural rights". 1

Francis Wright, one of the radical leaders of this group, was one of the most active supporters of the abolition of slavery and the improvement of the condition of workers in North America. In 1830, he created the first ideal, free and mixed community for slaves and other American citizens. Women's movements in America were closely related to anti-slavery movements, and the idea of ??holding the first world conference to defend women's rights in 1848 originated from the World Anti-Slavery Conference (1840 AD) in London. In this conference, women participants were not allowed to gather in the same hall with other male participants.

Other liberal activists, such as Grimke, Mill and Harriet Taylor, paved the way for equal rights with men with their activities and struggles. They considered the existing discrimination against women in the society as tyranny and considered such a trend as a serious obstacle to the progress of human civilization.

The activities and theories of this group, while opening the way for numerous reforms, especially legal issues, for women, ignored some basic issues. By dividing the world into two spheres, "domestic" and "public", the feminists of this group strongly criticized the role and responsibilities of women in the home environment and the institution of marriage, without suggesting another aspect instead of the traditional institutions of marriage, motherhood and religion.

The next group, namely the "cultural feminists", unlike the first group, not only believed in the inherent differences between women and men, but also considered many characteristic and inherent characteristics of women as factors in strategic planning to improve the status of women. Determinant in women's rights, they did not want legal reforms and equality of opportunities in all aspects of education, social and political for women, but they wanted fundamental changes in the whole society and culture. According to this group, the goal of women's rights defenders' activities is not only women's liberation, but these activities are a means for social reforms in a society that has been ruined by the harsh ideals of patriarchy and the inherent qualities of men. The core of this way of thinking was the "royal mother" prevalent in the 19th century. Margaret Fuller founded this movement in 1845 with the publication of her book "Woman in the 19th Century".