The "New Woman" on the Stage: the Making of a Gendered Public Sphere in Interwar Iran and Egypt

Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University History Dissertations Department of History 11-14-2008 The "New Woman" on the Stage: The Making of a Gendered Public Sphere in Interwar Iran and Egypt Fakhri Haghani Georgia State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/history_diss Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Haghani, Fakhri, "The "New Woman" on the Stage: The Making of a Gendered Public Sphere in Interwar Iran and Egypt." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2008. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/history_diss/19 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of History at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE “NEW WOMAN” ON THE STAGE: THE MAKING OF A GENDERED PUBLIC SPHERE IN INTERWAR IRAN AND EGYPT by FAKHRI HAGHANI Under the Direction of Donald M. Reid ABSTRACT During the interwar period in Iran and Egypt, local and regional manifestation of tajadod/al-jidida (modernity) as a “cultural identity crisis” created the nationalist image and practice of zan-e emrouzi-e shahri/al-mar’a al-jidida al-madani (the urban/secular “New Woman”). The dynamics of the process involved performance art, including the covert medium of journalism and the overt world of the performing arts of music, play, and cinema. The image of the “New Woman” as asl/al-asala (cultural authenticity) connected sonnat/al-sunna (tradition) with the global trends of modernism, linking pre-nineteenth century popular forms of performing arts to new genres, forms, and social experiences of the space of the performing arts. The subversive transnational character of performance art operated across borders to promote both the discourse of modern womanhood in-the-making among intellectuals, and the public practice of women’s presence among the masses. However, the trans-border effects of the medium were limited by local cultural and political ideologies of nationalism. The spectacle of women on the screen addressed national independence and the creation of a national film industry to resist the financial dominance of Europeans. In Iran, zan-e emrouzi-e shahri served the project of founding a modern nation-state, elevating of a culture of the city and urban development, and institutionalizing performing arts, mirroring the upholding of “male- guardianship.” In Egypt, in the absence of an authoritarian modern state and long-term experience of foreign occupations, al-mar’a al-jidida al-madani accompanied the traditional figure of bint al-balad (the countryside girl) to present modern advancements in film production with a traditional accent, to oppose European cultural values, to provide a tangible space for women’s multifaceted anti-colonial maneuvering, and to connect Egypt’s past history to its future. Performance art helped women to convey their cultural nationalism and a sense of imagined identity by letting them see and be seen by each other, create interactions between the artist and the audience, and emphasize music as the heart of a society’s culture and art. A culture of body performance, a female visual public sphere, and a feminine (and feminist) interpretation of cultural authenticity in performance art led women to claim the profession as a legitimate career. INDEX WORDS: Cinema, Cultural nationalism, Egypt, Feminism, Gender, Iran, Journalism, Middle East, Modernity, Music, Musical theatre, National identity, Nationalism, New woman, Performing arts, Regional identity, Theatre, Urban, Secular, Visual culture, Visual public sphere, Women. THE “NEW WOMAN” ON THE STAGE: THE MAKING OF A GENDERED PUBLIC SPHERE IN INTERWAR IRAN AND EGYPT by FAKHRI HAGHANI A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University 2008 Copyright by Fakhri Haghani 2008 THE “NEW WOMAN” ON THE STAGE: THE MAKING OF A GENDERED PUBLIC SPHERE IN INTERWAR IRAN AND EGYPT by FAKHRI HAGHANI Committee Chair: Donald M. Reid Committee: Ian C. Fletcher Emanuel Guano Electronic Version Approved: Office of Graduate Studies College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University December 2008 iv DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to women artists and performers of the 1920s and 30s in Iran and Egypt for their pioneering contributions to the social, economic, and cultural advancements of their societies and for the struggle that became part of their daily lives throughout their journey to keep alive their selves for a visionary and an imaginary future. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank the administration and staff at the American Research Center in Cairo and the Council of American Overseas Research Center for the grant I received to carry out research for this project in Iran and Egypt from January to September 2005. In the United States, my gratitude extends to Dr. Amira el-Zahry Sonbol at Georgetown University, Mr. El-Motoz Sonbol, and Dr. James Heitzman for their prompt assistance with my grant proposal application. At my home institution, Georgia State University, Dr. Hugh Hudson, the History Department Chair was influential in giving me both financial and intellectual support at critical moments in the life of this research. Dr. Donald Reid, my dissertation advisor, was always present and thoughtful to respond to my numerous questions, both in Atlanta and in Egypt. I feel privileged to have been a student of Dr. Reid over the course of my studies in the History Department, benefiting from his expertise in the history of the modern Middle East, his critical readings, and his advice, careful attention, and generous time. As a mentor, a member of my dissertation committee, and a friend Dr. Ian Fletcher was influential in shaping my interest in pursuing a doctoral degree focusing on the comparative study of the history of the Middle East. This project is a token of my appreciation to Dr. Fletcher’s intellectual vision. I would like to express special appreciation to Dr. Emanuela Guano for welcoming me to her inspiring and engaging course on visual culture and theories of gender. This initial exposure to the questions of culture, visibility, and gender stimulated my thought about women’s history in Iran and Egypt for this project. Without these intellectual supports, friendships, and advice, I would have not been able to develop confidence in the realization of this project. I extend my profound gratitude to each member of my dissertation committee for that reason. vi At Georgia State, a number of faculty members and my peers were instrumental in different ways. Drs. Michelle Brattain, Denise Davidson, and Chris Lutz have sustained the success of my progress in the program with the virtues of collaboration both as scholars and as friends. I shared many intellectual insights with Dr. Abou Bamba, Ms. Dana Wiggins, Mr. Andy Reisinger, and Dr. Veronica Holmes over the course of numerous conversations taking place in the “cube farm,” within the classroom, over a coffee, and during our trips to national conferences. I would like to express my gratitude to Ms. Carolyn Whiters and Ms. Paula Sorrel for taking care of my numerous unexpected demand and inquiries. In Egypt, I received assistance from many individuals during the process of my research. Madam Amira Khattab , Mr. Amir Abdel-Hamid, and Ms. Mary Sadek at ARCE graciously facilitated the logistics of my day-to-day activities and contacts with people and organizations. Dr. Hoda Elsadda, at the Women’s Memory Forum Institute and my Egyptian advisor at ARCE and Ms. Heba Farid the founder of Na’ima Project were instrumental in providing me with necessary documents as well as contacts that crossed their paths. Ms. Marianne Khoury at Misr International Films, Mme. Merwat Aziz at CEDEJ (Centre De’Etudes et de Documentation Economique, Juridique et Sociale); Mr. Steve Urgola at Rare Books and Special Collections Library, The American University in Cairo, Ms Aida Hanfi at dawriyat (the periodical section) of Dar al-Kuttub (the National Library), and Mme. Azza el-Khawwy at the Periodical Section of the American University in Cairo Library have all provided material and intellectual support and critical connections necessary for the realization of this project. Drs. Cynthia Nelson, and Martina Rieker from the Women’s Studies Institute at AUC, and Dr. Nawal el-Sa’dawi broadened my knowledge of history of the Middle East by inviting me to several important conferences. I cherish in particular the memory of my talk with the late Dr. Nelson whose vii passion and love for women’s history in Egypt taught me a unique perspective. Debates, critical questions, and friendly conversations with Drs. Omnia al-Shukri and Mahmoud Ibrahim, and Ms. Carmen Khayr held over dinner at Don and Barbara Reid’s apartment in Sharia Yehia Ibrahim were instrumental in stimulating my passion and interest in exploring both Egypt and the realization of this project. My special thanks go to Ms. Barbara Reid who offered me food for body and mind, from the first day of my arrival in Cairo to the end. In Iran, Ms. Ashuri, Ms. Farideh Kazemian, and Ms. Khodaparast at majallat (the periodical section) of the Central Library of the University of Tehran, Ms. Pishnamazi at Khaneh Sinema (the House of Cinema), Ms. Mansoureh Shojai’ at Sediqeh Dowlatabadi Women’s Library, and Mr. Safipour and Ms. Qaziha at the National Archives went beyond their reach to fulfill my too ambitious demand for access to rare documents and photocopies. Mr. Mohammad Tahami Nejad, Mr. Mohammad Hossein Khosrawpanah, and Ms. Pouran Farrokhzad shared their invaluable knowledge and private collections with me. Dr. Soheila Shahshahani at the Shahid Beshti University invited me to attend and be engaged with several conferences held in Iran while I was conducting research.

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