Dr VAHIDEH GOLZARD | University of Leeds (original) (raw)

Journal Articles by Dr VAHIDEH GOLZARD

Research paper thumbnail of eWords for New Worlds Globalization and the Empowerment of Iranian Women

Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication, 2019

The potential impact of the internet on women’s empowerment can be identified in a variety of way... more The potential impact of the internet on women’s empowerment can be identified in a variety of ways. The internet can provide diverse avenues for women’s social, political and economic empowerment and valuable sites can help with education, health, information and awareness of human rights in the public and the private spheres. Beyond these parameters the internet is also an open gate to the world, one that allows women to join global networks from the confines of their homes and break the boundaries of closed societies. In this article, we explore the changes the internet has brought to the lives of Iranian women. Drawing on interviews with a group of Iranian women who are active internet users in Tehran, we address how they understand and perceive digital
empowerment.

Research paper thumbnail of Economic Empowerment of Iranian Women through the Internet

Gender in Management, 2020

This paper aims to explore the extent to which the internet has created new opportunities for Ira... more This paper aims to explore the extent to which the internet has created new opportunities for Iranian women in Tehran. It analyses both challenges and opportunities offered to Iranian women by the internet as a means of economic empowerment.

Research paper thumbnail of Negotiating Intimacy through social media: Challenges and opportunities for Muslim women in Iran.

In Iran, social media platforms have become powerful tools for political and inter-personal commu... more In Iran, social media platforms have become powerful tools for political and inter-personal communication. They open new ways for their users, particularly women, to negotiate their intimate relationships with their family, (potential) partners or friends. Intimacy online is usually achieved through reciprocal visual and textual self-disclosure, which in turn may lead to face-to-face encounters. For Muslim Iranian women, social media allows room for self-expression, a way to combat loneliness and create meaningful relationships with like-minded people. However, at the same time, women are confronted by a number of risks associated with social media interaction in Iran, such as censorship, online (sexual) harassment, or cybercrime.Based on in-depth interviews and participant observation with Muslim Iranian women in Tehran, this paper explores the extent to which social media platforms (blogs, Facebook and dat-ing sites) have created both challenges and opportunities for Muslim Iranian women by transforming the ways in which they create and maintain intimate relationships online.

Research paper thumbnail of eWords for New Worlds Globalization and the Empowerment of Iranian Women

Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication, 2019

The potential impact of the internet on women’s empowerment can be identified in a variety of way... more The potential impact of the internet on women’s empowerment can be identified in a variety of ways. The internet can provide diverse avenues for women’s social, political and economic empowerment and valuable sites can help with education, health, information and awareness of human rights in the public and the private spheres. Beyond these parameters the internet is also an open gate to the world, one that allows women to join global networks from the confines of their homes and break the boundaries of closed societies. In this article, we explore the changes the internet has brought to the lives of Iranian women. Drawing on interviews with a group of Iranian women who are active internet users in Tehran, we address how they understand and perceive digital
empowerment.

Research paper thumbnail of Economic Empowerment of Iranian Women through the Internet

Gender in Management, 2020

This paper aims to explore the extent to which the internet has created new opportunities for Ira... more This paper aims to explore the extent to which the internet has created new opportunities for Iranian women in Tehran. It analyses both challenges and opportunities offered to Iranian women by the internet as a means of economic empowerment.

Research paper thumbnail of Negotiating Intimacy through social media: Challenges and opportunities for Muslim women in Iran.

In Iran, social media platforms have become powerful tools for political and inter-personal commu... more In Iran, social media platforms have become powerful tools for political and inter-personal communication. They open new ways for their users, particularly women, to negotiate their intimate relationships with their family, (potential) partners or friends. Intimacy online is usually achieved through reciprocal visual and textual self-disclosure, which in turn may lead to face-to-face encounters. For Muslim Iranian women, social media allows room for self-expression, a way to combat loneliness and create meaningful relationships with like-minded people. However, at the same time, women are confronted by a number of risks associated with social media interaction in Iran, such as censorship, online (sexual) harassment, or cybercrime.Based on in-depth interviews and participant observation with Muslim Iranian women in Tehran, this paper explores the extent to which social media platforms (blogs, Facebook and dat-ing sites) have created both challenges and opportunities for Muslim Iranian women by transforming the ways in which they create and maintain intimate relationships online.