Love, Sex, and Desire in Modern Iran

Contributors to this special issue explore the evolving landscape of love, sexuality, and desire in Iran from the mid-twentieth century to the present. The issue highlights the shifting status and rights of Iranian women, who navigate a sociocultural terrain where their virginity has traditionally been fetishized and woven into constructs of honor, vigilantly safeguarded by both family and society. Through nuanced examination, the authors reveal how contemporary Iranian society is reinterpreting these deeply ingrained norms and values.

Contributors: Janet Afary, Nadia Al-Sakkaf, Serpil Atamaz, Roger Friedland, Natalie Garland, Alexander Jabbari, Elham Naeej, Joy Saade, Leila Tayeb, Claudia Yaghoobi, Maryam Zehtabi, Katelyn Zeser