The Rational–Social Action Model of Hijab in Iran: A Grounded Theory Study

  • Ahmed Jwaid University of Mohaghegh Ardabili
  • Taghi Akbari Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
DOI https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18368014
Published: 2026-01-25
pdf
31
14

Abstract

The issue of hijab in contemporary Iran has transcended its status as merely a religious injunction and, through ongoing social and cultural transformations, has evolved into a multi-layered and contested social phenomenon. Despite the multiplicity of policies and interventions implemented in this domain, significant ambiguity and tension persist in both the theoretical framing and practical governance of hijab. This article aims to examine and critically analyze the conceptual, organizational, and methodological shortcomings in the analysis and policymaking of hijab, as well as their social consequences.

The study adopts a descriptive–analytical approach and is based on documentary research and critical analysis of existing theoretical works and viewpoints, with particular emphasis on domestic (Iranian) sources. The findings indicate that the lack of conceptual coherence in defining hijab, the conflation of individual, social, and institutional levels of analysis, and the misalignment between theoretical premises and operational practices constitute some of the primary factors contributing to policy inefficacy and the intensification of social tensions surrounding hijab.

The article concludes that a critical rethinking of prevailing theoretical frameworks and the establishment of a coherent and integrated approach to cultural policymaking can provide the groundwork for a more rational, socially responsive, and less conflictual engagement with the issue of hijab.

Keywords: Hijab Practical Rationality Social Action Social Responsibility Grounded Theory

How to Cite

Jwaid, A., & Akbari , T. (2026). The Rational–Social Action Model of Hijab in Iran: A Grounded Theory Study. European Journal of Humanistic Studies and Social Dynamics, 1(2), 24-35. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18368014
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

License

Copyright (c) 2026 European Journal of Humanistic Studies and Social Dynamics

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

1.
1. Momeni, M., & Mokhtari, S. (2017). Criminological Analysis of Unveiling (hijab) in Iran with an Emphasis on Islamic Views (Case Study: Najaf Abad, Isfahan, Iran). International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies, 3(4), 157.‏
2.
2. Babagoli, M. (2025). From Top-Down Interventions to Community-Based Practices: Gender and Social Transformations in Rural Iran (Doctoral dissertation, Concordia University).‏
3.
3. Salimi, N. (2026). Analyzing the roots of the failure of hijab policies using grounded theory. Strategic Studies of Culture Quarterly, 18, 39–83. (In Persian)
4.
4. Mirabi, S., Yousofi, A., & Ghandeharion, A. (2025). Development Policies and Discursive Conflicts in Contemporary Iranian Sexuality. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 1-19.‏
5.
5. Alızadeh, N. (2020). Revising Iranian Nationalist historiography and shaping a new intellectual field. İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 9(5), 3456-3478.‏
6.
6. Fazeli, N. (2019). Everyday life and cultural politics in Iran (Persian edition). Tehran: Ney Publishing.
7.
7. Mehdizadeh, S., & Abedi, M. (2022). The relationship between women's empowerment and marital tolerance (Case study of married women in Tehran). Women's Studies Sociological and Psychological, 19(4), 46-80.‏
8.
8. Fatah, R. A. (2024). Recognize Max Weber’s Social Action Theory in Individual Social Transformation. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Approach Research and Science, 2(02), 659–666. https://doi.org/10.59653/ijmars.v2i02.681.
9.
9. Wolin, S. S. (1981). Max Weber: Legitimation, method, and the politics of theory. Political theory, 9(3), 401-424.‏
10.
10. Pariyani, A., Seider, W. D., Oktem, U. G., & Soroush, M. (2012). Dynamic risk analysis using alarm databases to improve process safety and product quality: Part II—Bayesian analysis. AIChE Journal, 58(3), 826-841.‏
11.
11. Khyzhniak, O. (2014). Possibility and Prospects of Using the Situational Approach in the Analysis of the Collective Social Actio. Visnyk of VN Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series Sociological studies of contemporary society: methodology, theory, methods, (1122), 72-76.‏
12.
12. Baghali, H. (2020). Passé soufi, présent islamiste?. Archives de sciences sociales des religions, 65(189), 185-202.
13.
13. Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2015). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452230153
14.
14. ‏ Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
15.
15. Schwandt, T. A., Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (2007). Judging interpretations: But is it rigorous? Trustworthiness and authenticity in naturalistic evaluation. New directions for evaluation, 2007(114).‏
16.
16. Aguilera, R. V., Rupp, D. E., Williams, C. A., & Ganapathi, J. (2007). Putting the S Back in Corporate Social Responsibility: A Multilevel Theory of Social Change in Organizations. The Academy of Management Review, 32(3), 836–863. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20159338
17.
17. Pulla, V. (2014). Grounded theory approach in social research. Space and Culture, India, 2(3), 14-23.‏
18.
18. Elsayed W. (2024). Building a better society: The Vital role of Family's social values in creating a culture of giving in young Children's minds. Heliyon, 10(7), e29208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29208
19.
19. Azadarmaki, T. (2018). Social action in contemporary Iran (Persian edition). Tehran: Elm Publishing.
20.
20. Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. New York, NY: Doubleday.
21.
21. Alexander, J. C. (2006). The civil sphere. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
22.
22. Rafi Pour, A., & Gooyā, Z. (2010). The necessity and direction of educational changes in Iran’s school mathematics curriculum from teachers’ viewpoints. Journal of Educational Innovations, 9(1), 91-120.‏