"Analysis of Cultural Policy in the Domain of Iranian Women during the Pahlavi II Era with a Focus on the U.S. Embassy Espionage Documents"

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master's degree in History of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Hussein University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of History and Islamic Revolution Education, Imam Hussein University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The introduction of colonial perspectives into contemporary Iran with the aim of altering the form and substance of individual and collective life among Iranians represents one of the most significant issues in modern Iranian society. This process has been pursued by various actors, including the United States. Among the many audiences and subjects targeted, the issue of women—and the effort to influence this socially formative group—has held particular importance.
This article seeks to explore the overt and covert dimensions of U.S. cultural interventions in Iran during the Pahlavi era, specifically in the domain of women. Employing thematic analysis and grounded in the theoretical framework of public policy, it examines declassified documents from the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
The findings of the study indicate that U.S. cultural policymaking concerning Iranian women was primarily implemented through female elites, cultural and educational institutions, media, and behavioral models. These efforts aimed at redefining the role of Iranian women in line with Western paradigms through social engineering.
Although these interventions had short-term impacts on the lifestyles and cultural patterns of some women, they provoked significant social and religious resistance. Ultimately, they became one of the contributing factors to the widespread distrust toward the United States in the years leading up to the Islamic Revolution.
This study highlights the importance of understanding the cultural dimensions of foreign policymaking and the role of civil society in responding to it.

Keywords

American Strategic Studies

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 July 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 24 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 14 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 15 July 2025
  • Publish Date: 15 July 2025

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