Changing Family Model and Family Functions in Pre-Revolutionary Iran as Reflected in Protestant Missionary and Medical Reports

The article examines changes in the family model in Iran during the period preceding the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The primary sources are missionary reports, with particular emphasis on medical reports due to their focus on health and hygiene issues, which significantly illustrate transformations in family and motherhood in Iran. These reports were compiled by the two largest Protestant missions operating in Iran: the Presbyterian and Anglican missions. Their analysis confirms the article's assumption that the redefinition of the family’s role and functions in Iran began with a shift in the approach to women. The materials used in the analyses pertain to changes in Iranian society triggered by reform programs introduced by the rulers of the Pahlavi dynasty—Reza Pahlavi (1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza (1941–1979)—which were reflected in legislation directly concerning the family.