Literary Translation and Politics: The Study of Iranian Women’s Citizenship Rights

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Translation Studies, Department of English Language Translation, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran (corresponding author)

2 Assistant Professor of Translation Studies, Department of English Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This interdisciplinary study examines the role of literary translation in responding to socio-political reforms in Iran during the Second Pahlavi era, particularly after the White Revolution. Three English novels, translated into Persian within five years following the White Revolution, were analyzed to explore references to women’s rights, employing Marshall’s model of citizenship rights. The examination of Persian translations revealed that all instances of women’s civil, social, and political rights were preserved, with a majority remaining unaltered and a minority altered for further endorsement. Translators intervened to oppose women’s rights in only 3% of cases. While policies aimed at enhancing Iranian women’s quality of life, particularly concerning health and family rights, garnered support in these translations, those geared towards aligning women’s social roles and lives with Western modernization standards, rather than societal cultural norms, encountered resistance and changed. These findings underscore the impact of the White Revolution on societal attitudes in Iran and highlight the role of literary translation as a potential platform for reacting to socio-political developments, shedding light on the complexities of modernization in Iran during this period.

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History

  • Receive Date: 13 November 2024
  • Revise Date: 26 December 2024
  • Accept Date: 21 March 2025

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