فصلنامه مطالعات راهبردی زنان
پیاپی 44 (تابستان 1388)

Intergenerational change in family attitudes and behaviours is one of main areas of demographic researches in recent years. In this study we examine gradual shift in marriage attitudes and values by comparing the extent of intergenerational differences and similarities between married mothers and their adolescent children. A unique dataset collected through a face-to-face survey interview in the city of Yazd, have been used for the study. A sub-sample of participants consists of 155 mother-daughter dyads were selected for analysis.Findings indicate that there is an intergenerational consensus on ideal age at marriage, and opposition to polygamous marriage, reflecting a high stability in these attitudinal domains. On the contrary, there are also significant intergenerational disagreements on such attitudinal items as timing of first birth, relative (consanguine) marriage, mode of mate selection, and attitude towards singlehood, with daughter's attitudes tend to be more modern. These intergenerational differences in marriage attitudes could be attributable to both ideational shift as well as intergenerational differences in socio-economic status including higher education, wage employment and urban origins of daughter generation. Although intensity of intergenerational differences in our research site is not profound, results are indicative of a gradual change in family values and attitudes in Iran.

Growing pattern of premarital dating and friendship, together with transformation in the gender structure of Iranian universities are two emerging socio-cultural phenomena. In this paper, we examine the intersection of these two phenomena among university students. Based on Blau's theory, we hypothesize that as gender heterogeneity in classrooms increases, the contact chance within the members of minority gender groups decrease and on the contrary, friendship among the members of the majority gender group increase. The findings of a survey conducted among 425 students from Shiraz University, supported Blau's theory, indicate that gender heterogeneity in classrooms provide greater opportunity for interaction with the members of opposite-sex. In the case of female students, these findings should be interpreted cautiously however. Results also suggest that individual attitude has explained variance of the dependent variable more than gender heterogeneity. Although both objective macro structures and subjective micro structures affect social relations, the latter has more immediate influences.

The aim of present study is to examine Gender Parity Index (GPI) in access to secondary level of education in urban and rural areas of Iran. Using data from 2006 national census on the school-aged population as well as data from the statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Education on the number of student population, Gender Parity Index (GPI) has been calculated for each grade through dividing the female Gross Enrolment Ratio by the male Gross Enrolment Ratio. Analysis of GPI reveals gender difference between boys and girls across districts. For the first grade, in urban areas there were 74% disparities in favour of boys, 7% in favour of girls and 19% tended towards gender parity. This pattern is in sharp contrast with rural areas, where disparities in favour of boys were 100%. For rural and urban areas on the whole, gender disparities in favour of boys existed in 97% of cases while only in 3% of cases there existed gender parity. For the second grade, in urban areas 17% disparities found in favour of boys, 14% in favour of girls and in other remaining 69% of cases there were gender parity. On the contrary, in rural areas there were 90% disparities in favour of boys, and 10% tend towards gender parity., Corresponding figures for rural and urban areas on the whole were 77% and 23% respectively. Gender disparities in the third grade and for urban areas, were 30% in favour of boys, 7% in favore of girls, and in other 63% remaining cases, it was equally balanced between sexes. These figures are comparable with 90%, 7%, and 3% for rural areas. Results show that disparities for all the three grades of the secondary level of education in urban areas were 39% in favour of boys', 3% in girl's favour and 58% balanced towards parity. In rural areas, there were 93% disparities in favour of boys and other remaining 7% tend towards gender parity. For rural and urban areas on the whole, the analysis demonstrated that in the Secondary level of Education there are 84% disparities in favour of boys and 16% balanced towards gendered parity.

Social changes have many consequential effects on social groups depending on their resources, potentials, and capacities. A group's reaction to social change varies with its power and status position in the society. This paper explores how actions, beliefs, and judgments of youth in distinctive circumstances of young adult years can provide an occasion for social problems. Focusing on the typical situation of Iranian young women, this paper proposes a conceptual framework to classify and analyze Iranian youth behaviours in general and young women behaviours in particular. The suggested framework seems to be potentially helpful in understanding the contexts and circumstances under which youth behaviours are viewed as a social problem. Documentary research method as well as secondary data analysis has been used for the present study.

Gender orientation of young men toward young women is an essential part of the leisure time activities, and a contributing factor in the process of gender identity formation. Using a social interpretive approach, this study examines gender orientation of male high school students toward female in the city of Shiraz. Qualitative data, on the basis of an ethnographic fieldwork, collected through participant (or direct) observation and in-depth interview techniques. Using purposive, qualitative sampling strategy, 20 high school students from the city of Shiraz and in keeping with theoretical saturation criterion selected for the study. Grounded theory methodology was employed in data analysis procedure as well as in producing a data-based theory. Through the process of data analysis, following five main categories emerged from axial coding process: Reflexivity, Involvement of Mind, Normative Constrain of Peer Group, Instrumental Relationship, and Unstable Interaction. The core category extracted during selective coding process was taken to be "Reflexive Gender Orientation", which integrates and captures all main categories. The results have been presented in a paradigm model consisting of conditions, interactions and consequences around the core category.

During last two decades, the girls’ entrance rate to university has been raised substantially. There are various viewpoints about causes and consequences of this observable fact. The present study seeks to investigate the reasons for proportional increasing rate of girls’ entrance to university. In this paper we addresses following question; “Regarding the knowledge-based development discourse, what is the critical approach through which the reasons of increasing rate of girls’ entrance to university can be analyzed?” To answer this question, seven hypotheses were examined. The analysis of a survey data, which collected a set of likert scale items among a group of 364 students of Ahwaz University in the academic year of 2006/2007confirmed all the seven hypotheses of the research. In brief, findings showed that the reasons of the increasing rate of girls’ entrance to university must be scrutinized on the basis of an eclectic approach in the form of a complex set of multiple reasons. These multiple reasons, which are in fact summarize the research hypothesis as well, are the change in the attitude of the society concerning participation of women, increasing knowledge of women in regard to their rights, job accessibility, achieving social status, development of the scope of spouse choosing, university attractions and growth of womens’ expectations as well.

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the Effectiveness of Leisure Time Programs for girl students in the Northern Khorasan Province. The research design was a quasia-panel study. Target population of the study was all girl students at the primary, secondary and high school level, who participated in the Leisure Time Programs during the 2008 summer. A sample size of 583 respondents in all educational level selected for the study. Data was collected using a standard questionnaire instrument. Statistical data analysis was done with SPSS software program, using nonparametric Wilcoxon test. Findings clearly show that significant differences existed in student's degree of religiousness, social participation, enthusiasm, and degree of familiarity with Islamic Revolution and Imam Khomeini's thoughts before and after participation in the program. Briefly, results indicated that Leisure Time Programs are conducted in effective manner and arrived at a positive outcome.