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Almost all Islamic classical movements believe that the main task of women is motherhood and housekeeping. However, from the perspective of new Salafist groups, there have been transformations in women’s rights and duties. Studying the political and social role of women from the new Salafist point of views and comparing them with the views of old Salafists was because the issue was unexplored. This paper investigates differences between the perspective of the new and old Salafists regarding the role of women, through examining primary resources such as the works of old and new Salafist ideologues, as well as secondary sources susch as magazines, manifesto, tweets, and websites. Based on the critical discourse analysis, this paper concludes that both the new and old Salafist groups shared the same theological sources and references, but the old ones have a literal (and not a contextual or interpretative) reading of the holy book (the Qur’an) and the Sunna as their fundamental resource and reference. In the new Salafist discourse, women have the right to participate in all social and military activities. Therefore, the big shift created in terms of social and political participation of women through new Salafists is based on new circumstances, ambitions as well as their different understanding and interpretation of theology concerning the role and duty of women.

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Leisure is an opportunity for self-development, self-definition and community rejuvenation, acquisition of experience and development of social interactions. However, it is "relatively" free and constrained by factors such as gender, cultural and social policies governing societies. The current study is aimed at examining married women's leisure problems in Tehran from the viewpoint of experts. The research method is qualitative while the Thematic Analysis is used for data analysis and the illustrated problems. 23 semi-structured interviews conducted with three groups of experts (policymakers, executives and university professors). Two global themes of "Intra-governmental" and "Extra-governmental" problems are taken through the experts on the leisure problems of the target group. "Marginalization", "inequality and discrimination", "scattered policy making and implementation", "demonstrative policies" and "apathy" are "Intra-governmental problems" whereas "restriction", "excess and negligence in leisure activities" and "body as project" are forming "Extra-governmental problems". The results of this study illustrate that leisure problems for married women in Tehran have a cultural root and are caused by "cultural neglect and misunderstanding". Thus, cultural solutions can provide a framework for other solutions to function.

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In the present era which is known as the era of communications and technology revolution, cyberspace is considered as one of the most important tools in shaping the public opinion. The role of this media in preventing crime from happening is of interest to scholars and thinkers. The current study analyzes the role of the media in preventing sexual harassment of girls in cyberspace, because cyber space can, with its media policy, be able to provide appropriate solutions to reduce crime. The research method applied in the course of the study is descriptive and analytical and includes library materials and case files available at Iranian courts as well as the Cyber Police department. It also takes into account interviews conducted with sexual assault victims through semi-structured interview technique. The snowball sampling gathered from 30 victims of theoretical saturation. The findings of the study include: 1- Cyber-sexual harassment with various forms such as: cyber-propaganda, cyber-distortion, illicit intercourse, etc. 2- Given that women and girls are the main victims of this crime, the best way to prevent it is situational and social prevention.

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In this paper, the effect of income distribution on divorce in Iran has been investigated using micro data of Household Expenditure and Income Survey of urban households in 2014 and applying the Quasi-panel data method. Primary data included 18885 urban households. At first, sub-section of the data were selected including divorced and married male and female (16503 Households) and clustered in provinces. The data was then analyzed based on the initial and categorized data. In the next step, using the Deaton (1985) Quasi-panel data, Logit model is estimated with the Maximum likelihood method. The results of first estimation indicate that household per capita income reduces the probability of divorce, and the result of the secondary model (the initial model with including the square of per capita income) indicates a U shape effect of per capita income on the probability of divorce. That is, the probability of divorce in the two groups of income (low and high) is higher than the middle income holders. Threshold per capita income is estimated equivalent to 1275 thousand Toman on average and monthly for urban households or 5100000T in a month for a family of four in 2014. Also, having job reduces the probability of divorce. Therefore, unemployment reduction policies and supportive policies to reduce income inequality in society will be a way to reduce the probability of divorce.

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 In the last three decades, along with the development of knowledge-based economy, the development of businesses related to this field has also taken a growing trend and the concept of entrepreneurship has found an important role in the growing economy. Knowledge-based economics as an emerging field and with the focus on information technology and communication technology grew significantly. According to the International Telecommunication Union (2016), ICT-related businesses will account for 95% of all global companies, as well as one-third of all global formal-related businesses in the next decade. The purpose of the present study is to explore the contribution of women in the Persian Gulf region in the field of science, technology and knowledge-based economy using the documentary research method. The research results revealed that in the said field, there is an extensive opportunity to reduce the economic gender gap. Comparing the trend of women's participation in this field shows that the progress of women has been smooth in some countries while in some others, more development is needed. Suggestions have been made for the development of women's technical and professional knowledge, balancing between work and life, and implementing supportive policies.

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Some researches in the domain of women's employment show that gender is a significant factor in the professional position i.e. gender makes women less likely to achieve lucrative and high-paying jobs compared to their men folks. ‏However, in many countries, increasing women's education and skills are key indicators of their growing participation in the labor market. ‏In Iran, despite a decline in women's illiteracy and spectacular rise intheir presenceat universities, even in some traditionally masculine fields, the unemployment rate of educated women is higher than those of men. ‏This study is aimed at understanding the female students' opinions about the gap between higher education and their career prospects. For that purpose, a qualitative research in four government universities from four regions of Iran has been conducted. The data of the study shows that despite theirgrowing number in these universities, most female students are worried about their professional future. In nutshell, it can be said that the massification of higher education has not resulted into more access of girls to the labor market, and there is much disappointment among them of finding a suitable job after graduating from universities.

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The study of civilizations of South and Southeast Asia seem meaningless without an insight on Hinduism and Buddhism that exerted an enormous influence in the region before the arrival of Islam. The two beliefs, though originated in India, but contributed greatly to the development of socio-cultural relations among countries as far as Afghanistan in the west and China, Japan, and Indonesia in the east. About the beginning of the Common Era, Indian merchants may have settled there, bringing Hindu and Buddhist priests with them. These religious men were patronized by rulers who converted to Hinduism or Buddhism. The earliest material evidence of Hinduism in Southeast Asia comes from Borneo, where late 4th-century Sanskrit inscriptions testify to the performance of Vedic sacrifices at the behest of local chiefs. Chinese chronicles attest an Indianized kingdom in Vietnam two centuries earlier. The dominant form of Hinduism exported to Southeast Asia was Shaivism, though some Vaishnavism was also known there. The current study tries to explain how Hinduism and Buddhism could influence Socio-Cultural Relations between Pre-Islamic India and Afghanistan taking into account of historical records and inscriptions. 

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The administrative system during Iran's Safavid and India's Mughal empires had a complex structure. During that era, writing, recording, and dispatching of royal decrees as well as administrative, judicial, revenue figures, and rulings were carried out by three administrative divisions dealing with composition, execution, and judiciary. Such documents are exiting in two primary and secondary forms and their compositions are varied based on their themes. The components of documents are also distinguished in terms of their header, seal, and monogram. To prevent any type of forgery, they went through lengthy and complicated stages. These documents show the evolution of the bureaucratic system in both dynasties and were issued for purposes such as appointments, grants, exemptions, contracts, treaties, and so on. The research method applied in the present research is based sources extracted from library and archival materials and then the court documents of both Safavid and Mughals were compared and analyzed through the descriptive-analytical method. Research findings show that different administrative units were under the supervision of the minister (vazir), the second powerful figure after the King, who in fact led state, financial and judicial affairs. Although both dynasties had common roots, they created one of the most effective executive systems of their time by upgrading those prevalent in previous empires.

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Egypt’s direct political contact with France during Napoleon’s rule over it produced new circumstances which led to the emergence of new patterns and horizons of relationship. It heralded into a new era of cultural encounter with the West via France which inaugurated the process of modernization in Egypt. The process of modernization started earlier during the period of Napoleon’s rule, however it was fully re-appropriated later on by Muhammad Ali, the architect of modern Egypt. This development brought about the following salient features of modernization in Egypt. First, it was no more externally imposed in character. Second, the Egyptian rulers independently presided over the process as well as the outcomes of the modernization project. Third, it instilled a new sense of national identity and the idea of modern nation which culminated into the emergence of the idea of Egyptian nation and nationalism, and finally it transformed Egypt into a land of renaissance in the entire Arab world and thus helped Egypt in becoming center of regional power and power politics. Though this paper is about the role of Muhammad Ali in introducing modernization process in Egypt and its consequences but it also takes the wider views of the subject under consideration.

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Japan was an important and influential trade partner of Iran during the Pahlavi II era. However, no studies have been conducted on the effects of this country and its trade relations with Iran. The present study attempts to deal with the ups and downs in Japan’s trade relations with Iran during that era and evaluate its political impacts based on available documents. Furthermore, the discussions also include the types of cargo, their amount, their value and the dimensions of the trade between the two countries. According to the results of the study, the ideological affiliation of Iran and Japan to the Western bloc was effective in the development of trade relations between the two countries. Thus, Japan became the main importer of Iran’s oil and Iran employed Japanese experts for its economical and industrial activities. Therefore, several contracts were signed between the two nations. Nevertheless, the trade balance was in Japan's favor. The Iranian government’s efforts to balance the scales were successful in a few instances; however it failed in the long run. In conclusion, Japan became Iran’s third trade partner in this era.

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After losing the Battle of Chaldiran, the Safavid administration had a difficult time in integrating the al-Tawaifi court system under the central authority. Feudalism of Shah Ismail was able to subjugate the local authorities and unify a portion of Iran's territory with the help of the Qizilbash force. Due to territorial and theological disputes, the Safavids and two Ottoman and Uzbek kingdoms engaged in several conflicts as a result of making Shīʿīsm as official faith in Iran. Following the Safavids' loss at Chaldiran, centrifugal (local) forces became more powerful and eclipsed the influence of numerous rulers. The Safavid era turned out to be significant historically. The study's findings indicate that the central Safavid government faced a significant challenge in concentrating power following the defeat at Chaldiran, and this challenge persisted with only a minor variation during later kings until the end of Mohammad Khodabande's reign.

 

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Abstract: This study introduces a collection of manuscripts of Münşeʾât ve Baʿżî Vaḳâyiʿ-i Sulṭân Süleymân Ḫân that are preserved in the Austrian National Library with the signature of H.O. 50. This research aims to shed light on the history of Ottoman-Safavid relations through their direct correspondence. Furthermore, it checks the accuracy of the printed version of documents Mecmûʿa-i Münşeʾât üs-Selâṭîn (Istanbul, 1858), which are a major source of the two medieval empire of Iran and Turkey, as modifications have already been demonstrated by distinguished scholars such as Kurt Holter. The results of this study show that the aforementioned manuscripts contain 75 documents, including letters and campaign diaries. A total of 32 letters and one campaign diary are related to the relations during Ottoman ruler, Suleiman I and Ismail I and Tahmasp I of the Safavid Empire. In addition, correspondence of these two empires from Münşeʾât ve Baʿżî Vaḳâyiʿ-i Sulṭân Süleymân Ḫân can be found in Mecmûʿa-i Münşeʾât üs-Selâṭîn (Istanbul,1858).