2. Information and images in this presentation were taken from
different websites of research centers, newspapers, blogs, and
books. Experiences and impressions of people who travelled to
Iran were also used.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
3. CONTENT
Globalization and Iran
Employment, Labor, Migration, Brain drain
Society, Family, Women andYouth issues,
Feminism
Technology, Internet, Social media
Islamization and Globalization
Conclusions
4. Since the ‘80s, the world economy has become increasingly “connected” and “integrated”; on the one hand
the decreasing transportation costs and the diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies have
implied a fast downgrading of the concept of “distance”, while – on the other hand – gross trade, Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI), capital flows and technology transfers have risen significantly. In most
countries, the current wave of “globalization” has been accompanied by increasing concern about its impact
in terms of employment and income distribution.
5. The movement of ideas, images, products, and patterns of social relationships operates
above the limits and boundaries established by the dictatorial regimes and isolationist
states. Even in the most isolationist countries, products imported from other countries
bring with them images, patterns, and modalities that influence the local patterns and
force the local actors to react to them either favorably or unfavorably. For instance,
Islamic states like Iran, who are determined to stay away from Western influences, find
themselves fighting not foreign armies and imperialist tanks and war machines but
McDonald sandwiches, Hollywood movies and Disney images, and Western pop music icons.
6. Iran is one of the leading nations in the Middle East region that has a culturally-rich history and civilization. Iran matters
enormously. It has huge reserves of oil and gas, it is the country with the world's fifth largest Islamic population (after
Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh) and it is the only predominantly Shiite power. It has an old and glorious
civilization. It may also be in the process of acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran, since 1979, has rejected globalization — and
has been increasingly in global isolation. Since the late 1970s the world has been more and more affected by global forces and
countries have experienced greater pressure to open their borders, enrich their intellectual horizons, and expand their
cultural bonds to forces outside of their own domains. During the first decade of its existence, the Islamic Republic of Iran
resisted these forces and attempted to disconnect Iran from some of the global forces that had previously shaped the social,
cultural, political and economic aspects of that country. It is obvious that globalization impacts every country, and Iran
has not been an exception.
7. After the revolution, Iran's tourist industry, where the local and global meet, collapsed as a result of the
Islamization and the war with Iraq. Islamic codes have made it very difficult for foreign women and even men to
have a normal traveling experience in Iran. To travel to Iran, women have to cover themselves with Islamic veil,
completely avoid public physical interactions with both unrelated and closely related males. According to law,
all shops, restaurants, cinemas, and government agencies must not serve women who violate the dress code. Even
though the authorities and the Islamic police tends to be super nicer to foreigners and give them a sense of
freedom, but you are expected to abide by Islamic laws when in public. This includes dressing up wearing an
scarf over your hair.
8. Medical tourism is not new phenomenon in the world as well as in Iran. In the past some
people from neighbor countries especially from Arab countries of Persian Gulf came to
Iran especially to Fars province to get health care services. In this area in the
country, there are no exact statistics about medical tourists came to the country but
some resources indicated about 17500 patients came to Iran in 2005. The most popular
procedures which are demanded include: advanced treatments of cardiac treatments and
surgeries, cosmetic surgeries, productivity treatments, organ transplant.
Cosmetic procedures cost five to six times the average monthly wage in Iran but
according to a report in their conservative Etemad newspaper, as many as 200,000
Iranians are undergoing rhinoplasty operations every year.
9. Iran nowadays is the first country in the world which sends its “elite” abroad, according to the global
statistics of international organizations; and those students rarely come back. The International Monetary
Fund states that Iran has the highest rate of brain drain in the world. Therefore, this wave of
immigration of educated people is a delicate issue for the current government – for several reasons such
as the leak of educated and therefore fruitful students for the Nation, as well as the
influence/impact/affect these students may have towards the Iranian regime from abroad. Nowadays many
rural populations in Iran have access to modern communicative devices such as radio, television, media,
satellite technologies and improved road and transportation facilities and technologies in relation to
agricultural industry.
10.
11. In Iran in 1974, the tendency to choose spouse was among acquaintances, while such trend from 1979 has been reversed (2003). Now-even in
rural areas-the exogamous marriages are increasing because of developments in communicational means, increase in migrations, social
communications and job statue. And most of marriage customs are maintained: proposing, engagement, and wedding, having marriage-
portion, other marriage ceremonies and the first child’s birth ceremony. Some factors cause a decrease in the traditional patriarch families due
to modern thoughts, changes from agricultural economy to industrialization and constraints of urban life. In fact, there is an external pressure
in modern society that restricted in patriarchal family. The modern family is neither patriarchal nor matriarchal because the power structure has
changed and the parents’ relatives respected and behaved equally by children. Families move to a kind of equality and we can see the couples’
cooperation and enhancement of children’s statues.
12. Using Papanek's words, the Islamic Republic viewed women as the "carriers of traditions"
whose existence was threatened by foreign forces of globalization. In the face of this
assault, stability and survival of the Muslim family was in danger. To protect this
family and its central element, i.e., women, they were to be shielded from these foreign
forces and unwanted influences. To do this, it became necessary to keep a close eye on
the women's body, and social activities.
13. While the Islamic government's reaction to the globalization has been in the form of localization of identity, culture,
traditions, and social norms, Iranian women's reactions have taken a course in between. Realizing the necessity of having
access to the technological, scientific, and communicational skills of the globalized world, and working against a localized
but totalizing religious ideology and state apparatus, Iranian women have begun to demand access to global resources but at a
pace and in tune with their local needs and concerns. They have begun to connect their local conditions to global forces of
patriarchy and social inequality. They have discovered the role of local agency and its impact on changing global structures.
They are pressing against and going beyond the narrowly defined Islamic codes of femininity imposed by the IRI. They are
challenging the validity, universality, and generalizability of religious codes concerning female status within family and
society.
14. With land, becoming one the major sources of capital accumulation, many people were attracted to invest in
this section including many unprofessional and jerry-builders which reduced the quality of Tehran’s urban
landscape. Activities and investments in construction section implemented to maximize profit, minimize
expenses without adhering to standards. On the other hand, international companies and firms left their
signature in forms of buildings in public sphere without a participatory or bottom-up process, prevented
the social justice and ignored citizen’s rights and preferences. Widespread use of new materials and
Western new styles in construction market, made the urban landscape chaotic and messy. Of clear
consequences of this process is the chaotic skyline of Tehran which does not much to transfer to its
citizens and the world Construction of iconic and high buildings to create spatial contrast and in urban
structures is another movement is recent transformation process of Tehran’s urban form. Erecting towers
such as ASP and Milad Communication Tower are evidences of this.
15. Distribution of technology across Iran is another dimension of globalization process in Iran and specially
Tehran. 15 millions of cell phone devices were sold in 2008 which has reached 53 million in 2010.
According to statistics of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, the number of graduated
students in technologic majors in 2006 was 46053 which manifests the tendencies for being global. Despite
limitations in accessing Internet and its low speed, number of Internet users is about 24.5 millions which
is the highest number in the Middle East according to data of 2010. Also, Tehran Municipality’s effort to
join ICT network is another evidence of technologic improvement in recent years.
Iran is one of the countries that apply strict control over printed and online media tools. When we look at the
increase in the number of Internet users in Iran, we see that while the number of Internet users were under one million
in 2000, this number has increased to twenty three million users in 2008. The increase at such a sharp rate shows its
effects on the number of blogs in Iran. It has been calculated that approximately 60.000 blogs were written in Persian
language in 2008, which is a large number considering the censorship implemented by the government.
16. Freedom of speech is among the rights that each person should have regardless of his race,
religion, gender, and social position. In Iran’s constitution it is declared, “the media
should be used as a forum for healthy encounter of different ideas, but they must strictly
refrain from diffusion and propagation of destructive and anti-Islamic practices”
(Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1979). However, it seems that it has been
difficult to apply the principles written in constitution to the Internet. Iran has a history
of monitoring and blocking social media. Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus are all
blocked in the country, but millions of people use proxy servers to bypass the restrictions.
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube is inaccessible in Iran on the grounds that they undermine
Islamic values.
17. Iran has blocked access to an Instagram page devoted to the lifestyle of Tehran’s young elite that stirred
indignation and spawned a rival site on how the majority live. Richkidsoftehran, created in September on
the photo-sharing service, attracted almost 100,000 followers, with its contributors saying they wanted to
show a different image of Iran from the stereotypes in the west. Its photo gallery was filled with
Ferraris, Maseratis, luxury watches, expensive homes in upmarket northern Tehran – “all the accessories a
Persian boy needs”. It also showed parties and women in western dress, despite the ban on alcohol in Iran,
where women are obliged to wear headscarves.The Instagram page was blocked because of its “vulgar” content
19. Peace activists in Israel have launched an internet campaign to try to prevent conflict
with Iran in 2012. The ‘Israel loves Iran Facebook campaign has begun to receive numerous
responses from Iranians, who stared responding to the Israeli initiative that calls on
people to announce their love for the Iranians by posting pictures on Facebook. Up to
Saturday night, graphic artists Ronny Edry and his wife, Michal Tamir, who began the
campaign, were still trying to persuade Iranians to respond to the dozens of Israelis that
put up posters of themselves with the words, "Iranians, we will never bomb your country,
we [heart] you.” Their labor bore fruit, as more and more posts by Iranians started
popping up on their Facebook page in response to their Israeli counterparts.
20.
21. Conclusions
• brain drain despite huge investments on education
• changing lifestyle of Iranian people despite strict
regulations
• rising feminism in society despite actions on preventing this
trend
• increasing rate of technology and internet users despite
restrictions
• between islamization and globalization
