The documentary film “Divorce Iranian Style”, implicitly indicts viewers into Iran during the period of Islamic law. The filmmakers, Kim Longinotto and Zibar Mir-Hosseini, were given carte blanche by the judges; they were allowed to film with complete impunity. This gave the filmmakers a rare opportunity to interact with the plaintiffs and the accused equally: the entire stage was set and all the players were vulnerable against the impartial gaze of the deadened lense. The opening commentaries state the grounds of the court and the desire and objective of the law is solely and explicitly to allow, and, facilitate families to be reconciled (0:00:43 – 00:01:15),
Divorce Iranian Style
Anthropology 378
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“a husband has a right to a divorce but
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The subjects are not aware they are being filmed. The eloquent voice -over introduces us to the concept of two separate and unequal entries: one for men, and one for women. For the men, they are searched for mobile phones and weapons; women only have to deal with a strict dress code they must obey. And no lipstick! (absolutely) This is a clear indication of a culture that segregates and degrades women. The women are not even seen a potential for violence let alone dissent, the women are silenced and their words are but lip service (unadorned) to a crowd (unmoved) that listens but does not feel. The film shots suggest that women are able to discuss matters that affect them: marriage and beauty are important. But, paradoxically the women cannot enter the courtroom with make-up. They have to take it all off. They open up and speak removed of what it is that alledgely makes them women: what it is in the realm of Iran that gives them power. They are not putting on a show for the overtures of humanity in their ordinariness: they are naked despite their many layers, they are victims complacent in a system that was never meant to serve them. The body language of the men, most obvious in the initial scene, shows us a patriarchal society run amok: this is not a problem unique to Iran. A silenced minority can speak loudly, if given the proper time and space and audience. Throughout the
...ome to us at an interesting time, before the Revolution, 40 percent of Tehran movie theaters were showing pornography. The function of this office is purification as well as promotion for the arts.” The first part notions the Western stereotype of the Orient since the same as the time when it was discovered, but now the people of the Orient realize the stereotypes and are changing the way they see themselves because of these stereotypes. It is only by correcting these assumptions, stereotypes, and misconceptions of the Orient at the heart of society today, the media can Orientalism be fixed. The Eastern people must be allowed to sympathize in movies and films to humanize them and have intimate interactions. Otherwise, the Orient will be continued to be known incorrectly as a place with people who are without reason, screaming, protesting, and in swarming mobs.
In conclusion, the Iranian artist, Shirin Neshat, gave a TedTalk in December 2010 that outlined the role of Iranian artists in how the west perceives Iran and the changing position of women in Iranian culture as the political and cultural situation slowly shifts. In the end, what Neshat managed to convey through this talk was her desire for the west to consider the biased information that tends to front our news headlines in recent years, and further study could reveal why these negatives are often emphasised by the west. Although Neshat is in self-imposed exile from Iran, she still manages to highlight to the west the issues her country faces. Consequently, Neshat causes many peoples’ focus to shift towards Iran’s rich history and the strength of the Iranian people today and therefore helps to inspire people to continue the struggle for freedom.
An extreme precaution taken by the Iranian government is banning Western music, film, television, writings, and books (Iranian’s par. 1). It is believed by the Islamic leaders that all of these forms of entertainment are a “soft war” of propaganda being used against their rule
Overall, Islam and Gender is a valuable addition to the field of ethnography by examining the everyday struggles, experience, and involvement of women within the Islamic law. Hosseini targets a Western audience and hopes to leave them with a better understanding of the Islamic judiciary system and Iranian feminism. She successfully provides her readers with an unprejudiced account of the shari’ah and family law, and even includes the ideologies of those opposing her personal beliefs. Hosseini specifically requests Muslim women to take a stand develop their own local, Islamic feminist movement and openly advocates new discourse within Islamic jurisprudence.
Alsana faces the expectation of fulfilling her proper role as the subservient, good muslim wife; however, she subverts this tradition by actively fighting against her husband Samad and, therefore, maintaining her sovereignty. When Alsana expresses her support for her husband’s motion during a PTA meeting, the other wives look “over to her with the piteous saddened smiles they reserved for subjugated Muslim women” (Smith 110). This perception fails to take into account the conflict that occurs under the surface of their seemingly traditional marriage. Before she finally expresses support for him, “Samad pressed Alsana’s hand. She kicked him in the ankle. He stamped on her toe. She pinched his flank. He bent back her little finger and grudgingly raised her right arm while deftly elbowing him in the crotch with her left” (Smith 110). Physical violence is the hallmark of the power struggle within Samad and Alsana’s marriage; it is the manner in which Alsana expresses her defiance to the proper role that it is assumed she should take in her marriage. This physical violence is so common, in fact, that as they violently fight in their garden, their twins calmly watch, placing bets on who will win (Smith 167). This normalization of the violence further highlights how innate it is to their
This time, she used a new medium, the feature-length film, to express her feeling of Iranian society, and she declared that the film is telling a story rather than conveying a concept (754). In this way, the film Women Without Men tells four women’s story in islamic society, and Neshat tired to use these four emotional and sad stories to reflect women’s status in islamic society. Shirin Neshat separated the film to different sections, and each section tells a single story of each woman (754). All of them are from different social classes and backgrounds, and they meet each other in a garden where they try to live safely during the difficult time in 1953 coup (754). Zarin is a young woman from the lowest social class who is unwilling to be a prositutue, and her struggle was shown when she lost herself in brothel (754). Munis and Faezeh represent two positions of women in middle class; Munis cares about political events, however her brother always prevent her from participating in political events (Danto 223); in this way, Munis’s struggle emphasize a gender issue in Islamic society that women has to right to participate in political events. On the contrary, compare to Munis, Faezeh is a very traditional woman, however, this character in the film reflects a serious issue in Islamic society, which is sexual assault (215). Unlike other
Most people, when thinking about divorce, worry about the impact that it has on the children that are involved. Even though children are most likely better off if totally incompatible parents separate instead of staying together, divorce is about loss and change, and it is still hard for children. Everyone knows that divorce has its effects on children. There are three different sources that try to explain these effects. Graham Blaine Jr. states that divorce is a threat to all children, whereas Rhona Mahony states that divorce is not always the cause of behavioral or academic problems in children coming from divorced families. Yvette Walczak and Sheila Burns state that the extent of the damage can be determined by the parents and their methods of explanation to the children.
For example honor killings, including female genital mutilation, is a traditional patriarchal custom where, male family members subject Muslim women to murder in case they lose their virginity before marriage either by rape, falling in love with the wrong men or the victim of incest they refuse to accept an arranged marriage. This behavior is considered socially acceptable and a dishonor to the family, especially among the underprivileged classes where they can achieve honor more than prosperity. This film encourages the idea that honor killings are linked to Islam, however, it is not mentioned in the Quran and it has occurred in other religions such as Judaism and Christianity as well as in Islam. Women are victimized through established religious restrictions that are neither condoned nor confined by the principles of Islam. Egypt and Jordan witness cases like this, even though they are not motivated by honor. A considerate number of NGOs and legislation succeeded in imposing sentences to people committing these crimes, these acts are still occurring in silence. (Husseini,
The conflict discussed in this paper revolves around a custody dispute in which the disputing parties are a divorcing couple who are having conflict over the cultural difference in which each parent would like their daughter raised. The father is of Arabic descent that was raised with Islamic values and significantly embraces his culture in every facet of his life. According to Schencker (2011)“Traditionally, Muslim dads head up their households and are responsible for supporting their families and helping to teach their children about life and Islam as they grow older.”
It is this very comparison therefore that is the key to understanding why exactly the figure of the woman is so victimized. Despite the severity of the discrimination, and how it is depicted in either film, there appears to be an underlying sympathy due to the lack of communication the female has within “the man’s world” due to the individual’s exclusion from sound, as Yacowar states in his analysis of Blackmail, stating that “It works as a brilliant examination of the limits and problems of human communication” (103).
Marriage and divorce are very significant aspects of Islamic law, but criminal law could be considered the most controversial. The Sharia categorizes its offenses by the types of punishment each receives. There are offenses which are paired...
are not taken as seriously as they have been. It would be safe to say,
One can stay still there next to the curtain, but blind, but deaf Here the narrator scolds the lifeless women of Iran. Despite the activity of life outside their window, even in the “rain pouring down” (Farrokhzad, line 11), women refuse to acknowledge the invitation extended to them to partake in life outside of drab rooms, described as “… a faded flower in a carpet” (Farrokhzad, line 7). Furthermore, women are wont to be “but blind, but deaf” (Farrokhzad, line 17) out of their preference to languish in a lack of vigor. The setting and mood established, the narrator digs in with regard to women’s deprivation of self.
Love is the number one reason for marriage, even having Valentine’s Day to celebrate love. Yet Americans for Divorce Reform (ADR) estimate that, “Probably, 40 or possibly even 50 percent of marriages will end in divorce if current trends continue" (Colleen). The ADR also shows the divorce rates between Christians and non-Christians are indistinguishable. Even worse, Christians divorcing their spouses are distorting the Bible in order to justify their actions. Christians must be called to a higher standard in regards to divorce, and they must stop twisting the Bible to appease their conscience.
The representation of violence exacted upon women in cinema is inextricable from being projected upon all women. To provide a scene that objectifies the female is to reduce the feminine form to its non-dual state, e.g., a sexual object providing a vessel for male gratification (hubris and sexual) rather then being defined by its duality of sentient and physical forms. Those who construct scenes of violence against women are bound to a moral responsibility to subjectify the woman’s perspective, thus reestablishing the female as a victim rather then an object and rendering the act of violence intelligible (deplorable, open to interpretation).