Gender and Presence in urban public spaces in Iran

My research project investigates the relation between gender and presence in urban public spaces in Iran. Public spaces are traditionally thought of as communal social spaces that can be freely and also legally accessed by all citizens, regardless of their social and gender identity. These spaces peopled by a broad range of participants with diverse reasons for occupying them, are the context through which everyday life flows and are considered to be places where citizens can show their presence in the city. Indeed, they are the field of everyday life and social interactions. This research works on gender differences in access to urban public spaces in Iran within a qualitative framework, in which grounded theory and objective hermeneutics will be the two main research methods for analysing the data, gathered using different methods such as observation, interview, and photography.

The project presents current scholarly debates around the sociology of space, and the ideas of three thinkers constitute the main part of the theoretical framework: Foucault’s thoughts on the relation between power and space, Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space and de Certeau’s ideas on resistance in everyday life. Furthermore, some theories that specifically discuss the relationships between gender and space will be reviewed. Indeed, the study is going to consider whether current debates on the sociology of space can assist in understanding the relation between gender and urban public space in Iranian society, or whether there is a requirement to present new insights and theories.

Die Dissertation wurde mit der Einreichung der Promotionsschrift "Women’s Presence in Urban Public Spaces in Iran" abgeschlossen, erfolgreich verteidigt und der Titel Dr. phil. der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg 2022 an Dr. Babak Hassanzadeh verliehen.

My research project investigates the relation between gender and presence in urban public spaces in Iran. Public spaces are traditionally thought of as communal social spaces that can be freely and also legally accessed by all citizens, regardless of their social and gender identity. These spaces peopled by a broad range of participants with diverse reasons for occupying them, are the context through which everyday life flows and are considered to be places where citizens can show their presence in the city. Indeed, they are the field of everyday life and social interactions. This research works on gender differences in access to urban public spaces in Iran within a qualitative framework, in which grounded theory and objective hermeneutics will be the two main research methods for analysing the data, gathered using different methods such as observation, interview, and photography.

The project presents current scholarly debates around the sociology of space, and the ideas of three thinkers constitute the main part of the theoretical framework: Foucault’s thoughts on the relation between power and space, Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space and de Certeau’s ideas on resistance in everyday life. Furthermore, some theories that specifically discuss the relationships between gender and space will be reviewed. Indeed, the study is going to consider whether current debates on the sociology of space can assist in understanding the relation between gender and urban public space in Iranian society, or whether there is a requirement to present new insights and theories.