Temporary And Child Marriages In Iran And Afghanistan

This book discusses the popularity of temporary and child marriages in Iran and Afghanistan and explores their historical background and the reasons why they still persist today. Further, it offers readers insights into the emotional and psychological violence that the women who have been subjected to these practices experience. The respective contributions address the persistence of these traditions, their ramifications for the wellbeing of women and the development of societies and human relations. Taken together, they offer an excellent academic tool for students, academics and researchers studying the anthropology and sociology of kinship, and family in the Middle East.

Drawing on feminist theory, as well as theory surrounding the correlation between poverty and suicide, this study explores the increased rate of suicide among women in western Iran. Based on empirical research, including interviews with women from the Kurdish region of the country, the author considers the marginalisation of Kurdish populations in Iran, the suppression of their rights, and violence against women in its various forms. With attention to family violence, such as direct physical or sexual assault, psychological bullying or through practices such as forced marriage or honour killings, the author also considers the political nature of such violence, as certain violent practices are enshrined in the Iranian constitution and legitimised in jurisprudential practice. A study of gendered violence and its effects, Women and Suicide in Iran will be of interest to scholars working in the fields of Sociology, Criminology and Middle Eastern Studies with interests in violence, gender and suicide.

This is an open access book. In light of the rising Southeast Asia in the centre of knowledge production, the Department of International Relations, the University of Mataram seeks to explore more wide-ranging topics of migration and development. Therefore, we plan to organize Southeast Asian Conference on Migration and Development (SeaCMD), which will take place on Lombok Island of West Nusa Tenggara Province in Indonesia. We encourage a broad range of scholars including researchers, lecturers, policymakers, research consultants, and postgraduate scholars to share their ongoing research or promote their past papers at this conference. Scholars from various disciplines are also encouraged to apply.

This book focuses on education and Afghan women in the pre-Taliban period, under the Taliban and today. More specifically, it explores the educational prospects for women under and following the fall of the Taliban, the significant improvements that have been achieved during the past few years and the challenges that still lie ahead. Against this background, concepts such as education, empowerment and personal development are discussed, as well as the progress and the challenges that women in Afghanistan will face in the event of the Taliban returning to power. This publication offers a unique, original and current insight into the world of Afghan women, encompassing contributions from academics, journalists and civil society advocates.

This book explores the experiences of the ethnic and religious minorities of Iran, such as Jews, Yarsani, Christian, Sabean Mandaean, Bahai, Zoroastrian, Baluch, Kurd, and others and provides a historical overview of their position in society before and after the 1979 Islamic revolution and highlights their contribution to the country's history, diversity, and development. It also focuses on the historical, sociopolitical, and economic factors that affected the minorities' development during the last century. Author Behnaz Hosseini has shaped this book with authentic material and has assembled the experiences and opinions of academics of diverse backgrounds who approach the minorities’ issues in Iran in a constructive and ingenious way: from debating their efforts to preserve their identity and cultural heritage and ensure their survival to discussing their relations with the majority and other minorities, the role of religion in everyday life, and their contribution to the rich cultural history of Iran.

This book sheds light on the cultural traits and religious beliefs of the Yārsan community. By incorporating historical and ethnographic research on Yārsan community in west and North of Iran, fieldwork and meticulous analysis of religious texts and international literature, it reveals contemporary aspects of Yārsan culture and life that are lesser known to the wider public, and provides insights into their lives, traditions and prospects for the future. With researchers from inside Iran and all over the world, this book offers a new look at Yārsan.

There is insufficient data on the practice and the repercussions of early childhood marriage (ECM) in Iran. Social Anthropologist Kameel Ahmady, recipient of the 2017 Truth Honour Award by the London Law School and the IKWR Womens Rights Organisation, exposes the ugly truth about ECM in Iran in this ground-breaking research study. Unflinching in its candour, An Echo of Silence is a frank examination of an unspoken subject on the staggering number of children who are married off in Iran. Kameel Ahmady is a British-Iranian social anthropologist who has worked mainly on international development. Following the success of Female Genital Mutilation In Iran (A Country Size Research Report and Book), which had taken ten years to comprise, the new study of An Echo of Silence is the result of a painstaking and detailed comprehensive field survey of ECM in seven provinces of Iran. An Echo of Silence provides a descriptive overview of ECM and its vicious impact by conceptually analysing the issues of young brides who have been forced into marriage. The book also unflinchingly describes the Iranian governments failure to address this tragic system where young boys and girls are married off routinely. An Echo of Silence is a provocative book about a hallowed cultural institution cloaked in non-acknowledgement. Kameel Ahmady gives the reader an unprecedented look into the world of ECM in Iran by focusing on the multiplicity of various complexes and prominent socio-cultural factors that contribute to and mirror this deep-rooted tradition, including the social attitudes and silent acquiescence of the Iranian government which influences its perpetuation. The silence is shattered by the observational scanning on marital customs and norms within the seven main provinces, and interviews with the families and the children themselves as they carry on with the tradition. The research study dissects the rationales for ECMs continual existence and adherence by probing the various causes and entailing consequences of ECM. This study acts as a voice for the silent and is a must-read.

Cases of ex-Muslims in Europe being punished by their former fellow Muslims constitute an unacceptable practice from the standpoint of democratic societies in which human rights are respected and individuals have the freedom to choose their religion, or none at all. Ex-Muslims’ fear of punishment by their former community should prompt an open, candid, and measured discussion of the issue. Leaving Islam, Ex-Muslims and Zemiology presents the reasons for and consequences of consciously leaving Islam, based on interviews with 80 ex-Muslims currently living in Germany and Sweden. In their view, many of the practices and beliefs of Islam are harmful and unfair. Many parts of the Islamic world regard apostasy as treason or a crime. As a result, emphasis in the book is shifted from “crime” to “harm” and a thesis is put forward concerning the “decriminalization” of apostasy from the perspective of zemiology. The book highlights how a broader shift of interest in the democratic structures of Europe could allow ex-Muslims to join the discussion on the guaranteed right to religious liberties and freedom of speech in the context of the apostasy law in Islam. This should happen without fear for their own security and without facing potential suppression or social exclusion. It will appeal to scholars with interest in Islam and the conflict between religious values and an individual’s aspirations and needs.