The transformation of Islamic feminism in the context of women's movements in Iran

Following the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution, there have been negative changes in the status of women in Iran. In response to these changes, women have continued their efforts to improve women's rights and developed various reactions. Islamic feminism, which emerged as a result of Muslim women's struggle for identity, aimed to improve women's rights from a different perspective. Women reinterpreted religious texts through a feminist lens and developed a critical approach toward traditional discourses that contradicted Islam. Although these initiatives led to some gains for women, the presence of those who viewed Islamic feminism as a tool for equality diminished due to various reasons and events, and Islamic feminism lost its influence in the struggle for women's rights. This study aims to analyze why and how Islamic feminism experienced a decline through process-tracing methods, and to explain the recent changes in women's movements in Iran within this context. Understanding women's concerns about their own status and their responses is crucial for evaluating women's movements in Iran and understanding their central focus. This is not only important for assessing Iranian women's movements from a broader perspective, but also for making predictions about the future of Islamic feminism.