Iranian Women and Everyday Resistance:
Civil Disobedience, Artistic Defiance, and Activism under Political Repression
Panel discussion
Chair: Prof Fatemeh Shams
10. June 2026, 5 pm (CEST)
virtual event – ZOOM only
please register here
see also here
Abstract:
This panel brings together artists, political activists, and scholars to examine the diverse ways Iranian women confront and challenge gendered political repression. Drawing on experiences across the fields of art, civil society, academia, and grassroots organizing, the panelists reflect on how women navigate restrictions on bodily autonomy, freedom of expression, political participation, and social life. The panelists will discuss everyday forms of resistance that often emerge outside formal political arenas, including civil disobedience, cultural production, community building, and creative dissent.
By bringing together diverse perspectives and forms of expertise, the panel highlights the central role of women in contemporary struggles for justice, equality, and democratic change in Iran, while situating their experiences within broader debates on gender, resistance, and authoritarianism.
Panelists:
Fatemeh Haghighatjoo: Executive Director of Nonviolent Initiative for Democracy Inc (NID)
Rozarin Kamangar: Head of the Diplomacy Committee of the Free Women’s Society of Eastern Kurdistan (KJAR)
Hermineh Hourdad: Human Rights Researcher and Political Scientist, University of Gothenburg Azadeh Momeni: Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Toronto Metropolitan University
Jinoos Taghizadeh: Multidisciplinary Artist, Author and Activist
Chair: Fatemeh Shams, Associate Professor of Persian Literature, Author, and Feminist Activist