Critique and Analysis of Research Process in Women Issues in Iran

Amongst research topics in humanities in Iran، women studies، although carrying various issues and subjects، is considered as a new discipline، and therefore has received the least political، cultural، and economic attention in academic system of the country. With a quick look at the recent changes occurring in women’s status in Iran، the present paper tries to bring up some challenges and dual reactions in current women issues (i. e.، the paradox of education and employment.) Besides، the need for the production of a new systematic model suitable for Islamic-Iranian society as the main ignored part in research work in humanities and Women studies is shown. The article contains a report of a research work carried on by the Women Studies Dep.، of Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies. In the research the methodology and process of publications related to women in a 20 years period (1984-2004) are analyzed by an index containing 27 variables (three dimensions) which makes the present study different from similar ones. The findings show that the published materials are mostly in women’s “individual issues” following social conditions، against the developmental and systematic political، cultural، and economic issues. Besides، a particular design or model showing the main objective in the studies was not found.