The effect of “medicalization” on religion in the post-constitutional period in Iran (1905-1941)

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

10.30484/ganj.2023.3077

Abstract

Abstract
Purpose: With the beginning of modernism and its spread among Iranian society during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many institutions of Iranian society changed. These institutions, which have historically been formed with the participation of the institution of tradition and religion, have been threatened by modern concepts. This threat, in many cases, led to a confrontation between tradition and modernism.
Method and Research Design: One of the most influential institutions of the Iranian society was the institution of health, which was formed based on a combination of temperament medicine, folk medicine and with a religious color and smell, throughout history. After the arrival of modernism in Iran, this powerful social institution was severely exposed to the effects of new scientific insights and many of its beliefs were questioned.
This research, relying on one of the concepts of medical sociology under the title of "medicalization", has analyzed this confrontation.
Findings and conclusions:  It has also examined the impact of medicalization on religion in Iran. The results of this research show that, for several decades, the cultural atmosphere of the society was influenced by health concepts. In the process of medicalization, the institution of religion handed over many areas of social influence to the institution of medicine.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

 
English Translation of References
Documents
Sāzmān-e Asnād va Ketābxāne-ye Melli-ye Irān (Sākmā) (National Library and Archives Organization of Iran):
240015790; 270000306; 290004383; 290007716; 291001406; 291001457; 291001463; 291002110; 295006086; 295006087; 295006103; 297000448; 297005072; 297014095; 297014839; 297023595; 297030087; 297035882; 297036114. [Persian]
Books
Amir A’lam, Doctor Amir Khan. (n. d.). “Nāme-ye Ahmadi yā hefz-os-sehhe-ye eslāmi” (Ahmadi letter or Islamic health preservation). Tehran: Dānešgāh-e ‘Olum-e Pezeški-ye Irān (Iran University of Medical Sciences). [Persian]
Attar, Mohammad Ibn Ebrahim. (1345/1966). “Divān-e ‘Attār” (Poems of Attar Nishapuri). Tehran: ‘Elmi Farhangi. [Persian]
“Avestā” (Avesta: The ancient Iranian hymns texts) (vol. 2). (1387/2008). Researched by Jalil Doustkhah. Tehran: Morvārid. [Persian]
Basiratmanesh, Hamid. (1378/1999). “’Olamā va režim-e Rezā Šāh: Nazari bar ‘amalkard-e siyāsi-farhangi-ye rowhāniyyun dar sāl-hā-ye 1305 tā 1320” (Islamic scholars and Reza Shah's regime: A review on the political-cultural performance of the clerics in the years 1305 to 1320 SH / 1926 to 1941 AD) (2nd ed.). [n. p.]: Mo’assese-ye Čāp va Našr-e ‘Oruj. [Persian]
Bazargan, Mehdi. (1379/2000). “Mabāhes-e ‘elmi-eslāmi” (Scientific-Islamic topics). Tehran: Bonyād-e Farhangi-ye Mehdi Bāzargān. [Persian]
Bazargan, Mehdi. (1322/1943). “Motahharāt dar eslām” (Purifiers in Islam). Tehran: Ketābxāne-ye Ebn-e Sinā. [Persian]
Conrad, Peter. (n. d.). “Pezeški šodan-e jāme’eh” (The medicalization of society). Translated by Samin Sadat Basir. Tehran: Yār. [Persian]
Dolatabadi, Sedigheh. (1377/1998). “Nāme-hā, nevešte-hā va yād-hā” (Letters, writings and memories) (vol. 2) (1st ed.). Edited by Afsaneh Najmabadi & Mahdokht Sanati. Chicago: Negareš va Negāreš-e Zan. [Persian]
Durant, Will, & Durant, Ariel. (1358/1979). “Tārix-e tamaddon, jeld-e avval: Mašreq-zamin gāhvāre-ye tamaddon” (The story of civilization, Part I: Our oriental heritage). Translated by Ahmad Aram. Tehran: Eqbāl. [Persian]
Ebrahimnejad, Hormoz.   (1402/2023). “Pezeški dar Irān” (Medicine in Iran: Profession, practice and politics (1800-1924)). Translated by Mohammad Karimi. Tehran: Širāzeh. [Persian]
Keyvanara, Mahmoud. (1386/2007). “Osul va mabāni-ye jāme’e-šenāsi-ye pezeški” (Principles and foundations of medical sociology). Esfahān: Dānešgāh-e ‘Olum-e Pezeški-ye Esfahān (Isfahan University of Medical Sciences). [Persian]
Mohammad Ibn Monavvar. (1354/1975). “Asrār-ot-towhid” (Asrar al-Tawheed). Edited by Zabihollah Safa. Tehran: Amir Kabir. [Persian]
Mohseni, Manouchehr. (1368/1989). “Jāme’e-šenāsi-ye pezeški va behdāšt” (Sociology of medicine and health). Tehran: Ketābxāne-ye Tahuri. [Persian]
Mostowfi, Abdullah. (1377/1998). “Šarh-e zendegāni-ye man, tārix-e ejtemā’ee va edāri-ye dowre-ye Qājār” (The story of my life: The social and administrative history of the Qajar period) (vol. 3). Tehran: Zovvār. [Persian]
Najmabadi, Mahmoud. (1341/1962). “Tārix-e teb dar Irān” (Histoire de la medecine en Iran) [History of medicine in Iran] (vol. 1). Tehran: Čāp-e Honarbaxš. [Persian]
Rashti, Seyyed Ashraf Al-Din. (1386/2007). “Divān-e kāmel-e Nasim-e Šomāl” (Nasim-e Shomal poetry book). Introduction by Saeed Nafissi; Edited by Fereydoun Samanipour. [n. p]: Sa’di. [Persian]
Shayegh, Sirous. (1401/2022). “Tavānā bovad harke dānā bovad” (Who is knowledgeable, is strong: Science, class, and the formation of modern Iranian society, 1900-1950). Translated by Maral Latifi. Tehran: Širāzeh. [Persian]
Articles
Behjati Ardakani, Zohreh et al. (1387/2009). “Zarurat-e barresi-ye ab’ād-e moxtalef-e seqt-e janin dar Irān” (The necessity of examining the different aspects of abortion in Iran). Majalle-ye Bārvari va Nābārvari (Journal of Reproduction and Infertility), 6(4), (series no. 24), Fall 1384/2005. [Persian]
Tavakkoli Toroghi, Mohammad. (1387/2008). “Tajaddod-e ruzmarreh va āmpul-e tadayyon” (Daily modernity and the ampoule of religion). Irānnāmeh (Majalle-ye Tahqiqāt-e Irān-šenāsi, Entešārāt-e Bonyād-e Motāle’āt-e Irān), issue 4, Winter 1387/2009. [Persian]
Newspapers and press
Ruznāme-ye Ettelā’āt (Ettela'at Newspaper), Entešārāt-e Ettelā’āt, 1304 – 1320 SH / 1925 – 1941 AD: (23 Mordād 1305 SH / 15 August 1926); (11 Bahman 1305 SH / 1 February 1927). [Persian]
Ruznāme-ye Setāre-ye Irān, Āršiv-e Sāzmān-e Asnād va Ketābxāne-ye Melli Mantaqe-ye Markazi-ye Kešvar (Sākmā) (National Library and Archives Organization of Iran): 1343 AH / 1925 AD: 10 Ša’bān (6 March); 11 Ramazān (5 April); 21 Ramazān (15 April); 26 Ramazān (20 April); 18 Šavvāl (12 May). [Persian]
Ruznāme-ye Hamšahri (Hamshahri Newspaper), Xeradnāme-ye Hamšahri. “Goftogu bā doktor Mohammad Tavakkoli-ye Toroqi” (An interview with Dr. Mohammad Tavakoli Toroghi). Issue 21, Āzarmāh 1386 / December 2007. [Persian]
Našriye-ye Axgar, Āršiv-e Dānešgāh-e Esfahān (University of Isfahan): (8 Āzar 1308 SH / 29 November 1929). [Persian]
Online sources
yun.ir/5wbvj1. [Persian]
 

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 10 April 2022
  • Revise Date: 11 April 2022
  • Accept Date: 03 June 2023

Share

How to cite

Statistics