The effect of “medicalization” on religion in the post-constitutional period in Iran (1905-1941)

With the beginning of modernism and its spread among Iranian society during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many institutions of Iranian society changed. These institutions, which have historically been formed with the participation of the institution of tradition and religion, have been threatened by modern concepts. This threat, in many cases, led to a confrontation between tradition and modernism.

Method and Research Design: 

One of the most influential institutions of the Iranian society was the institution of health, which was formed based on a combination of temperament medicine, folk medicine and with a religious color and smell, throughout history. After the arrival of modernism in Iran, this powerful social institution was severely exposed to the effects of new scientific insights and many of its beliefs were questioned.This research, relying on one of the concepts of medical sociology under the title of "medicalization", has analyzed this confrontation.

 It has also examined the impact of medicalization on religion in Iran. The results of this research show that, for several decades, the cultural atmosphere of the society was influenced by health concepts. In the process of medicalization, the institution of religion handed over many areas of social influence to the institution of medicine.