CULTURAL STUDIES & COMMUNICATION
Year:2013 | Volume:9 | Issue:31|Papers Count:7

This article is to explain poorer attendance of women at higher and professional levels of medical education, taking a qualitative methodological approach. The findings illustrate that the participants of this qualitative study have recognized five factors as main forces to deter women from improvement in Iranian medical education system and serious participation at higher, specialized and managerial levels of the system. These factors are: "Involvement in domains of marriage and family", "Existing a sort of patriarchy or masculinity in Iranian culture and society", "financial & economic issues", "psychological differences between men and women", "issue of adherence to traditional and religious norms in relations between men and women." Moreover, in view of participants, authorities and policy-makers of medical education systems play key roles in deterring women from accessing higher managerial positions at the system, while they don’t blame authorities for excluding women from all rights of being highly educated and qualified in medical education system. The article, as a final point, asserts that the factor of "gender-based stereotypes" is central to explain poorer attendance of women at higher and specialized levels of medical education, among various factors influencing the subject. The findings also demonstrates that two factors, namely, "Patriarchal family" and "gender-based stereotypes" play key role in generating disparities and deterring women from equal improvement opportunities in the society.

This article offers an argument on public science magazines in Iran and their ability to increase public scientific literacy. This research paper covers 144 public science magazines that appeared since some 100 years ago in the late 19th century in Iran and have gone through various changes. We selected 12 issues from 12 magazines randomly to establish our argument. Then a qualitative content analysis was used to study these 12 issues. In order to perform the qualitative content analysis on the sample issues, we first operationalized the concept of "public scientific literacy" in accordance with the characteristics that can be identified in an individual who is considered to be "scientific literate". During this process we identified four indicators that could represent "public scientific literacy" and they included: 1- scientifically-driven actions, 2- scientific attitudes, 3- social reflexivity of science, and; 4-scientific norms of behavior. Had these four characteristics been present in any of the randomly selected issues, we considered the text to be able to deliver scientific literacy to its audience and to increase the level of scientific literacy among individual audiences. Some of the findings indicate that Nojoom Magazine was among the best in terms of delivering scientific literacy to its audience and contributing to and increase of scientific literacy among its audience.

This article aims at the relation between Iranian women and Iranian modern spaces such as kitchens. Their approach towards their homes and spaces especially kitchen has been studied through a survey done on about 15 women from different types of culture, education and age, mainly having a middle or high class level .Different lifestyles and classifications in religious believes has presented various results. Different tastes have lead to paradoxical feedbacks from these social classes and lifestyles. Yet a particular kitchen type for an Iranian culture is necessary.

This article examines four processes of identity formation in developing of life and occupation opportunities in southern villages of Semnan city. This study relies on field study and ethnographical data. In fact for the significance of theoretical dimension of identity formation, the study of connections and relations between space and individual has been put in analytical framework.The Andreas Glaeser’s spatial hermeneutics analytical model has been applied in qualitative analysis. It emphasizes on transition of identity into identification and encompasses four analytical processes: The tropic reading of space /writing of space/placement of self/chronotop. These processes are made specialization of identity have been examined in Kheirabad & Roknabad villages. These villages have been rivals of each other during the long time.

This article studies the relationship between architecting of Apartment complexes with social capital amid residents in Ardabil city. The research is causal–correlation and examines respondents' views on this relationship (architecture and social capital). Population of the study is all residents who living in apartments with 3 stories and above (approximately 120000) and all flats and apartment complexes in Ardabil. Almost 430 people randomly selected as a representative sample and findings show that. Designing and architecture quality of apartment complexes affect residents' social capital. Designing and architecture quality of stories affect residents' social capital. Number of stories affects residents' social capital.Designing and architecture quality of neighbor units affect residents' social capital. Public and general spaces design in complexes affect residents' social capital. There is significant relationship between apartment security feeling and resident's social capital. And hypothesis that establishing position of apartment complexes affects residents' social capital was rejected.

This article try to analyzes relationship between occupational, as one of main humankind activities, and pattern of several cultural goods. Theoretical discussions about relationship between occupational , life style and consumption shows persons Occupational grouping influence on consumption Particularly cultural consumption, through tangible and objective components of life style. Our Theoretical framework is based on one of the ideas in this field presented by Pierre Bourdieu. He emphasizes that consumption is a way to make a distinction between social groups. According this theory individual’s occupational, as a important marker of social status, Intentionally or unintentionally lead to taking different life style and showing it by using of Specific cultural goods. In fact Theoretical model of this research shows how various Occupational groups try to choose different life way and Distinguish themselves from others. This distinction is Possible by persons’ occupational influence on objectified components of life style. The method of this study was a secondary analysis of the data from a national survey was conducted in all provinces. Research results have shown that the basic assumptions regarding the relationship between occupational groups, including students, staff, teachers, engineers, workers, businesses … etc, and consumption of cultural goods such as TV, Satellite, books, cinema and ... etc, Has been approved.

Representation is not a direct reflection of the outside world; rather, it is a biased image of the reality related to the social context and the current ideological processes of the society. Media show a representational image of reality, especially when demonstrate the reality of women’s life in television serials. What is portrayed about women is in accord with the corresponding social context and the ideologies hidden in social norms. These norms are neither neutral nor objective. Rather, they are in harmony with the profits of those classes having social power. Naturalizing what is in essence historical, is what Barthes names it myth. According to Barthes social life is full of myths, which are meaning systems whose meaning should not be taken for granted. Myth will guarantee the group interests by naturalizing what is historical. Barthes historical approach, and his efforts on unveiling the interests of some social forces existing in the popular culture, is interesting. This article will analyze the movie “About Eli …” directed by Asghar Farhadi, using this approach in order to discover the hidden meanings of the film and unveiling the myth of “inefficiency of woman” in its different meaning making layers. The article includes two parts. In the first part considering the theory of representation, Barthes’ theory of myth is explored. In the second part, as Barthes views the semiology as a method for ideological criticism and unveiling the myth, this method is used to analyzing them movie “About Eli …” in order to unveil the myth hidden in the movie and its constructive discourse.