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Childhood in Qajar Iran

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Shireen Mahdavi
Shireen Mahdavi*
Affiliation:
Department of Histroy, University of Utah
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Abstract

The history of children in general and that of Persian children in particular is that of the inarticulate. The social history of Iran is a neglected field although in recent decades a preponderance of material has appeared on the history of women. Aside from this no work has been undertaken on the private life of the period including childhood and family life. This article examines various aspects of the position and upbringing of children in Qajar Iran ranging from the rearing of children to their status in the family, discipline, amusements and education. This investigation attempts to cover the childhood of different sexes and social classes both in rural and urban areas. The discussion is limited to Shi'i children, the majority population of Iran.

Type
Articles
Information
Iranian Studies , Volume 47 , Issue 2 , March 2014 , pp. 305 - 326
Copyright
Copyright © 2014 The International Society for Iranian Studies

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References

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47 These stories have been collected in two volumes by “Sobhi” who through his programs on the radio regaled and acquainted generations of modern children with their heritage. See Muhtadi, Fazllula (Sobhi), Afsanaha, 2 vols. (Tehran, 1946)Google Scholar; Lorimer, D.L.R. and Lorimer, E.O., Persian Tales (London, 1919)Google Scholar; Marzolph, Ulrich, “Persian Popular Literature in the Qajar Period,” Asian Folklore Studies 60 (2001): 215–36CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

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52 Both Hidayat and Mustawfi relate that they had bad teachers in the maktab and in the case of Mustawfi they had to be replaced a number of times. See Hidayat, Khatirat, 4; and Mustawfi, , Sharh-i Zindigani, 1: 218–22Google Scholar.

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55 Qiran: unit of currency in silver in Qajar Iran. Ten qirans equaled one tuman.

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67 Muhammad Taqi Hakim, Risala-yi Tarbiat, twenty-nine to thirty-five.

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