To continue the focus on women from the reading, I found this article posted on a non-profit news-source called Iran Focus**'s website. The article itself is from the NY Times, but it details some basic developments from where the article left off. Basically, the author presents an argument that a sexual revolution is imminent, because of the allowance for basic and advanced education for women. The more that Iranian women are learning about and seeing in global culture the alternative to their situation, the more they are demanding equal legal rights. In this article the debate doesn't seem to be centered on clothing, but rather on legal rights such as divorce.
Another article highlighted a case in which 8 women have been sentenced to death by stoning. A lot of international attention has been focused on outlawing the practice of stoning to death those convicted of such crimes as adultery. Amnesty International is a major player in this effort, where many Western nations have denounced this Iranian (Islamic) practice.
What is the role of the international community in such cases? Is it another form of colonialism to enforce Western beliefs on an Islamic nation? Although in this case it is considered a violation of human rights by most and thus widely denounced, how much can the international community interfere with/demand change in another country's practices? Is wearing a veil violation of human rights? Where do we draw the line on what we accept as tolerable practice of another culture?
**About Iran Focus
Iran Focus is a non-profit news service provider that focuses on events in Iran, Iraq and the Middle East. With a network of specialists and analysts of the region and correspondents and reporters in several countries, Iran Focus is able to provide fast and reliable news and analysis on the political, social and economic situation in the region.
Posts
Toleration of the values of other cultures is obviously necessary in conducting effective diplomacy, trade, etc. However, when another culture's treatment of a specific segment of that culture's population (i.e. women in Iran)is considered, the line mentioned in Marisa's post regarding toleration becomes subject of a very intense debate. What right do Americans have to impose their values on Iran? Conversely, what right do we have to sit idle and not address what is observed as institutional inequality? The views and opinions of Americans reflect our understanding of such important parts of our history such as civil rights and womens' rights. Whereas in Iran there seems to be no equivalent struggles for equality. This issue is highly complex and not for any single person to provide a solution. However, I think that there is a solution that will require a long struggle of ups and downs similar to the gender inequality and civil rights movements observed in America. Also, i believe that articles such as the one from the NY Times are evidence of this struggles existence.
ReplyDelete