Abstract
The number of women attending institutions of higher education in Iran has been steadily increasing since 1989. Growing enrollment rates for women in colleges and universities have sparked wide social and political debates in that country. The basic question of why young Iranian women might even choose to pursue tertiary education, however, has not been adequately addressed in the critical literature. This study gives voice to young women who explain for themselves why they are interested in higher education. It reveals that college or university studies represent for female students many things: a sphere of hope, a refuge, and a place to experience limited freedom beyond restrictive family environments; an asset that can increase a woman’s value in the marriage market; a right that may make possible financial independence; and a vehicle that can earn respect for women. On the whole, the desire for higher education illuminates the challenges facing women in Muslim nations and the ways in which Muslim women are using this institution to change their social status.
Zusammenfassung
DIE FEMINISIERUNG DER HOCHSCHULEN IM IRAN – Die Anzahl von Frauen, die Institutionen der höheren Bildung im Iran besuchen, hat sich seit 1989 ständig vergrößert. Die steigenden Einschreibungsquoten für Frauen an höheren Lehranstalten und Universitäten hat weitreichende gesellschaftliche und politische Debatten in diesem Land ausgelöst. Die grundsätzliche Frage, warum junge iranische Frauen überhaupt die Wahl treffen, tertiäre Bildung anzustreben, ist jedoch in der kritischen Literatur nicht in angemessener Weise angesprochen worden. Diese Studie lässt junge Frauen zu Wort kommen, die für sich selbst erklären, warum sie an Hochschulbildung interessiert sind. Sie zeigt, dass ein Studium an Hochschulen für Studentinnen viele Dinge bedeutet: eine Sphäre der Hoffnung, eine Zufluchtsstätte und einen Ort, an dem sie die begrenzte Freiheit jenseits der restriktiven familiären Umgebung erfahren; einen Bonus, welcher den Wert einer Frau auf dem Hochzeitsmarkt anheben kann; ein Recht, welches finanzielle Unabhängigkeit ermöglichen kann; und ein Mittel, welches Respekt für Frauen einbringen kann.␣Insgesamt macht der Wunsch nach Hochschulbildung die Herausforderungen sichtbar, denen Frauen in muslimischen Ländern begegnen, und die Art und Weise, wie muslimische Frauen diese Institution benutzen, um ihren gesellschaftlichen Status zu verändern.
Résumé
LA FÉMINISATION DE L’ÉDUCATION SUPÉRIEURE IRANIENNE – Le nombre de femmes suivant les cours d’institutions de l’éducation supérieure en Iran s’est continuellement accru depuis 1989. Les taux d’immatriculation en augmentation pour les femmes dans les collèges et les universités ont enflammé un large débat social et politique dans ce pays. La question principale de savoir pourquoi de jeunes femmes iraniennes peuvent même choisir de poursuivre une éducation tertiaire n’a cependant pas été abordée suffisamment dans la littérature critique. Cette étude donne la parole à de jeunes femmes qui expliquent en ce qui les concerne pourquoi elles sont intéressées par une éducation plus élevée. Elle révèle que des études au collège ou en université représentent plusieurs choses pour les étudiantes de sexe féminin : une sphère d’espoir, un refuge, et un lieu pour faire l’expérience d’une liberté limitée au delà des environnements familiaux restrictifs ; un acquis qui peut augmenter la valeur d’une femme sur le marché du mariage ; un droit qui peut rendre possible une indépendance financière et un moyen pour les femmes de gagner le respect. En somme, le désir d’une éducation supérieure illumine ces femmes qui font face à des défis dans les nations musulmanes et les façons dont les femmes musulmanes utilisent cette institution pour changer leur statut social.
Resumen
LA FEMINIZACIÓN DE LA ENSEÑANZA SUPERIOR IRANÍ – El número de mujeres que asisten a los institutos de enseñanza superior en Irán ha crecido constantemente desde el año 1989. El aumento de estudiantes matriculadas en los colleges y universidades ha suscitado amplios debates sociales y políticos en este país. Sin embargo, las publicaciones que se ocupan del tema aún no han prestado atención a una cuestión fundamental: los motivos por los cuales las jóvenes iraníes deciden cursar un estudio terciario. En este trabajo, las mismas jóvenes explican las razones que las impulsan a recibir una educación superior. El estudio revela que los␣estudios de college o universitarios tienen un significado muy amplio para las estudiantes: son un ámbito de esperanza, un refugio y un lugar en el que pueden experimentar una cierta libertad, más allá de sus restrictivos entornos familiares; son una ventaja que puede aumentar el valor de una mujer como futura esposa, un derecho que puede proporcionarles independencia económica y un vehículo para ganarse el respeto como mujer. En términos generales, el deseo de cursar estudios superiores y los modos en que las mujeres musulmanas están usando estas instituciones para cambiar su status social ilustran los desafíos que están encarando las mujeres en las naciones musulmanas.
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Shavarini, M.K. The Feminisation of Iranian Higher Education. Int Rev Educ 51, 329–347 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-005-7738-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-005-7738-9