Genealogy of a New Identity of Iranian Women in Late Qajar Era

This paper aims to explore the relationship between the changes of Persian women's status during the last years of Qajar era (1895-1925); and the beginning of what is generally referred to “The Women’s Rights Movement” that proceeded this era. I will explore the status of Qajar women through a historical sociology framework, relying on archival documents from the period. I will concentrate on the quality of women attendance in public area.
This paper puts forth the argument that for late Qajar urban women, the concept of the “self” began to change, which occasioned the emergence of a “new identity”. This transformation is particularly noticeable in the last decade of the period. This new identity encouraged women to be more active in public area and gaining the crucial knowledge to become aware of the outdoor worlds.