Surreal illustration of divided Iranian cityscape

Beyond Binaries: Rethinking Gender, Intimacy, and Research Ethics in Iran

Jordan Keane in Culture & Society June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Challenging assumptions and navigating complex social dynamics in post-2009 Iranian studies."

In post-2009 Iran, understanding the dynamics of gender and public space requires a nuanced approach. State intervention and security measures have altered social interactions, making public spaces less accessible and more surveilled. This shift affects how individuals form relationships and creates unique challenges for researchers.

Traditional gender roles are intertwined with new forms of state control, leading to complex social dynamics. Architectural adjustments and increased surveillance disrupt organic relationships and generate contested intimacies. Navigating these complexities is vital for researchers, influencing their analytical approaches and personal safety.

Scholars have long recognized the state's influence on intimacy. From Lisa Lowe's analysis of closeness in moments of explicit violation to Ann Stoler's examination of colonial legacies, the manipulation of intimacy by those in power is well-documented. Elizabeth Povinelli highlights how states control intimacy through love, family structures, and national identity. Understanding these manipulations is crucial when conducting research in environments like Iran, where seclusion and surveillance shape social interactions.

The Skewed Landscape of Intimacy and Research

Surreal illustration of divided Iranian cityscape

While intimate relationships can develop even under seclusion, research reveals that state-imposed restrictions can distort these relationships. Consider the experiences of researchers navigating gendered spaces, where architecture and social norms manipulate interactions in subtle ways. These manipulations can lead researchers to overemphasize certain analytical frameworks while overlooking others.

One researcher, Shirin Saeidi, encountered this dynamic while studying Islamic cinema in Tehran. Introduced to the wife of a martyr, she formed a close bond. Their interactions, however, were confined to the martyr's home due to surveillance. Saeidi, having previously studied Iranian war martyrs, found herself unsettled by the widow's seemingly uncritical stance on rights and religion in post-2009 propaganda.

The seclusion created a contested intimacy, making trust difficult.
Saeidi sought to decipher the intentions behind the shared information.
The researcher's framework became overdetermined, potentially obscuring other useful perspectives.
This illustrates how gendered and securitized spaces can skew data analysis.

The dynamics shifted dramatically after a personal tragedy. Following the unexpected death of her young cousin, Rana, Saeidi gained a new perspective on her research. She realized that mourning and the need to overcome alienation were critical frameworks for understanding the widow's relationship with the state. The researcher's initial focus on solidarity and conflict overlooked the emotional dimensions of the subject's life. This underscores the need for researchers to integrate diverse perspectives, including those related to grief, loss, and personal resilience.

Navigating Complex Dynamics in Field Research

The complexities of gender, space, and seclusion can lead to intense and intimate interactions, potentially skewing analytical lenses. Intimacy fosters unique processes and unexpected behaviors, resulting in contested dynamics. Researchers must remain open to diverse possibilities and vigilant when engaging in intimate conversations to grasp concealed dynamics effectively. Furthermore, Paola Rivetti's research highlights how activists critical of the Islamic Republic have navigated state interventions since the 2009 protests, continuing their activism in the face of ongoing repression. Remaining open to various analytical possibilities beyond personally invested categories is essential for all field researchers.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1017/s0020743817000381, Alternate LINK

Title: Out Of Space: Securitization, Intimacy, And New Research Challenges In Post-2009 Iran

Subject: Sociology and Political Science

Journal: International Journal of Middle East Studies

Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Authors: Shirin Saeidi, Paola Rivetti

Published: 2017-07-26

Everything You Need To Know

How have state intervention and security measures in post-2009 Iran altered the dynamics of gender and public space?

In post-2009 Iran, heightened state intervention and security measures have transformed public spaces, impacting gender dynamics. This has led to altered social interactions and increased surveillance, creating unique challenges for individuals forming relationships. These environmental restrictions reshape intimacy and influence researchers' analytical approaches.

How does the manipulation of intimacy by those in power, as studied by scholars like Lisa Lowe, Ann Stoler, and Elizabeth Povinelli, apply to research in Iran?

Scholars like Lisa Lowe, Ann Stoler, and Elizabeth Povinelli have extensively studied the manipulation of intimacy by those in power. Their work demonstrates how states control intimacy through various means, such as explicit violations, colonial legacies, love, family structures, and national identity. Understanding these manipulations is particularly relevant in research environments like Iran, where seclusion and surveillance shape social interactions.

How did Shirin Saeidi's research on Islamic cinema in Tehran demonstrate the potential for gendered and securitized spaces to skew data analysis?

Shirin Saeidi's experience studying Islamic cinema in Tehran illustrates how gendered and securitized spaces can skew data analysis. Her close bond with the wife of a martyr was confined to the martyr's home due to surveillance, leading to a contested intimacy. This seclusion made trust difficult and potentially overdetermined Saeidi's analytical framework, obscuring other useful perspectives. After the personal tragedy of her cousin Rana's death, Saeidi realized the importance of grief and alienation in understanding the widow's relationship with the state, highlighting the need for diverse perspectives in research.

Beyond solidarity and conflict, what emotional dimensions should researchers consider when conducting field research in Iran, and why are they important?

When conducting field research in Iran, it's crucial to consider the emotional dimensions of people's lives. Shirin Saeidi's experience showed that initial focus on solidarity and conflict overlooked the emotional dimensions of the subject's life. Grief, loss, and personal resilience are critical frameworks. Paola Rivetti's research also highlights the importance of remaining open to various analytical possibilities beyond personally invested categories, as activists critical of the Islamic Republic navigate state interventions.

In what ways can intimacy impact research, and how can researchers remain vigilant to grasp concealed dynamics in complex environments such as post-2009 Iran?

The intersection of gender, space, and seclusion can lead to intense and intimate interactions that may skew analytical lenses. Intimacy fosters unique processes and unexpected behaviors, resulting in contested dynamics. Researchers must remain open to diverse possibilities and vigilant when engaging in intimate conversations to effectively grasp concealed dynamics. In environments like post-2009 Iran, acknowledging the emotional and personal contexts of the research subjects, and remaining open to diverse analytical possibilities are crucial for responsible and insightful research.