Vol.12/No.37/Feb-Mar 2016 Received 2014/06/12 Accepted 2015/28/03 The Relationship between Gender and Space in the Public and Private Realms in the Qajar Era Hosna Varmaghani* Hossein Soltanzadeh** Mozayan Dehbashi Sharif*** Abstract Gender is a social and cultural concept that changes in different times and places. Various factors such as beliefs, religious teachings and customs are involved in shaping it. The present paper, applying historical approach and relying on an interpretation of historical texts and travelogues and focusing on the culture and religion in Iranian society, investigates changes in the gender realms of urban, rural and tribal communities in the Qajar period. Considering this pre-hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between “gender identity” and “spatial identity”, this paper response to a main question: Which factors have influenced in shaping of gender realms and their transformation in various situations? In this respect, we first find gender realms in the public and private places in the Qajar period. Then, we explain and analyze the comments of travel writers. The findings of the study indicate that cultural factors such as ritual beliefs, dressing way, women’s education and cultural influence of the West in the late Qajar era, social factors, including the structure of power, class, and social norms, and also economic factors including livelihood and geographic region have changed the relationship between gender and space. This paper discusses that how these factors influence on gender and space. Study of the Safavid and Qajar history and comparison of travelogues written during this period; give us the conclusion that the position of women in this period was similar in many aspects. The formation of movements and organization of women just after the constitutional revolution have changed this situation. Thus, in the present study, 6 travelogues of the Qajar dynasty, 6 travelogues of the Safavids, 8 memoirs and biographies have been investigated. In this paper, determining the influence of gender identity on spatial identity and the confounding factors in the relationship between gender and space are considered. Identifying domains as the basis of social and relative relations in public and private spaces have particular importance to detect possible changes ​​in the gendered spaces. This research is based on historical texts, travelogues and biographies to explain the changes in spatial organization and classification of public and private realms according to changes in gender definition. This paper investigated these maters during the Qajar era. The main research question is that how features of space and the use of private and public realms affected of gender identity, social and cultural position, and status of women and men during the Qajar era. Keywords Gender, Space, Culture, livelihood, Qajar era. *. Ph. D. Candidate in Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch. [email protected] **. Ph. D. in Architecture, Associate Professor, Faculty of Architecture, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch. [email protected] ***. Ph. D. in Architecture, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch. [email protected] .......................................31.. .. ........... ........ ....... .......... The Scientific Journal of NAZAR research center (Nrc) for Art, Architecture & Urbanism The Relationship between Gender and Space /31-40 Introduction and representation system. Thus, some actions are Gender is a social phenomenon. The dominant inherently “masculine” and are sign of courage and culture of society persuade all individuals to follow strength that are associated with the male sex. In of certain patterns of behavior, clothes and other contrast, some acts are intrinsically “feminine” that markings gender by promoting certain paradigms are considered proportionate for women. of “characteristics of masculinity and femininity”. Each person’s gender identity is the result of the Of course, different attitudes to gender affected on internalization of cultural normative expectations behavior, activities, and also use the space at different about men and women. Goffman (1959: 531) times and places. This leads to the formation of areas believes that differences in behavior and actions of men and women in the public and private sphere. of men and women does not occur based on We consider to the effectiveness of “gender identity” fundamental biological differences between on “spatial identity” and confounding factors in the them, but many of the social practices are always relationship “Gender and Space”. We must identify present as a result of natural differences between territories of social and kinship relationships in private the sexes and are considered, in practice, a tool and public spaces. Consequently, we can identify that respects those differences and produces them. possible changes in gender realms. This study, based People must accept certain attitudes and behaviors on historical texts, travelogues and biographies, for acceptance of society and participation in it explain variations in spatial organization of public (Schaefer & Lamn, 1992: 173). and private sectors in relation to differences in issue Socialization is a process that people tend to certain of gender and review this issue in the Qajar era. attitude, values and appropriate behavior as part of a culture. The process of training values, attitudes and Materials and Methods learning expected behaviors consistent with the norms In the present study, we are trying to find data on the of honor formed a community is called socialization. subject by means of the remaining traces of the past In this regard, the role of gender could defined time, documents, books and articles and travelogues as expected behaviors, attitudes, responsibility and memoirs. So the methodology should be and excellence that society gives to each sex historical interpretation. Researcher in historical (Keller et al, 1994: 41). In this research, indices and research “finds” existing data. constituents of Gender, based on analysis of the While in other research methods, a researcher literature and the views of theorists that are introduced “produces” required data. The purpose of historical in the framework of the study, are identified and research is using of data that is related to past events classified by means of the Graph. Conceptual model and their interpretation. Researcher, in historical is illustrated in Figure 1 consists of 9 indicators as interpretation, collects “work” and “Footprint” components of Gender. This graph is the result of of past events for data collection. He searches study of literature and the investigation of indicators. resources by which he finds evidence of past events. The effects of each of the nine indicators on social The sources used in this study are Travelogue of spaces during the Qajar era are important in this foreigners who have come to Iran during the Safavid research. In fact, the relationship between gender and and Qajar era, especially those travelogues are space is examined in the present study. written and described women’s pastime by women Historical texts and travelogues by foreign tourists with their accuracy. And the books of memoirs and in the Qajar era will be rereading to assess these 9 biographies and travelogues that were current during indicators as factors that influence the relationship Naser al Shah Qajar. between gender and space in the private and public spheres in Qajar era (Fig. 1). The Theoretical Framework of Research The proper behavior and role of men and women, Gender is a subject that has a direct relationship partly goes back to lessons during their socialization with behaviors and social interactions that dominant (South & Spitze, 1994: 213). ........... culture of any society entrusts to both sexes (men Gender roles specify a set of behaviors that have and women). So, gender was always considered been defined on the basis of gender. Gender role .......... a part of social life and affected all aspects of life ideology is related to the value judgments about the ........ and everyday activities even on the smallest scale. appropriate role of women and men, or signs and Sex is the natural difference between men and Features that each of the two sexes should exhibit ....... women, but gender is cultural and social values (Gibbons, et al, 1997:153). Goffman believes the ...... ............................ ............................................................. 32 ... The Scientific Journal of NAZAR research center (Nrc) for Art, Architecture & Urbanism .... Vol.12/No.37/Feb-Mar 2016 authority of the traditional role of men and women (Ritzer, et al, 1979: 27). According to Ritzer (ibid: 31), in traditional society, women are expected to play a subordinate role. He also adds that today, this role is changing. In Millett’s view, family has an important role in foundation and internalization the ideology of patriarchy by means of education and giving value to roles for each sex. Chafitz illustrated social definitions role in the production and reproduction of gender identity (Turner, 1999:237). Bourdieu shows that social phenomena such as the categories of gender, symbolic violence and gender language form gender identity (Jarvenin, 1999: 7). Chafitz believes that if labor division at large scale of society is gendered and tasks are defined and distributed