Muslim Iranian women working in broadcast media (IRIB): Between motherhood and professionalism

This paper examines how Muslim Iranian women who work in broadcast media position themselves in relation to motherhood and work. It argues that these women assert their agency by refusing to conform to two stereotypical images that are ascribed to women by different ideological discourses in Iranian society: 'the traditional woman' who is merely devoted to family roles and the domestic space; and 'the liberated woman' who is active in the society and disregards family roles. Based on data from 30 semi-structured interviews, the paper argues that most of these highly educated and active women, maintain that the mother's role is still a very important aspect of their life. Overall the paper contends that after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian middle-class Muslim women have constructed a new identity that values higher education and endorses professional involvement in the society, while remaining loyal to the family and idealizing motherhood.