Analyzing the reasons for the failure of hijab policies using the grounded theory method

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Salimi Nahid

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Journal Paper

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Journal: Strategic Studies of Culture Year:2025 | Volume:5 | Issue:2 Page(s): 37-83

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Title

Analyzing the reasons for the failure of hijab policies using the grounded theory method

Author(s)

Salimi Nahid | Issue Writer Certificate

Keywords

Public Policy

hijab

Policy Failure

policy making process

Abstract

Introducion: In recent decades, the governance of hijab and chastity policies in the Islamic Republic of Iran has become one of the most contentious cultural and social issues. Although post-revolution governments have consistently attempted to institutionalize hijab through policy formulation and legislation, the persistent inability to reach desired outcomes highlights a significant policy gap. More than four decades after the revolution, official monitoring data indicate that approximately 60% to 70% of Iranian women fall within the spectrum of “non-standard hijab,” with up to 15% considered openly disobedient. These statistics reveal a vast “gray area” of public adherence, underscoring the limitations of prevailing strategies.Methods: The research at hand aims to provide a comprehensive diagnosis of why hijab policies in Iran have systematically failed to achieve their goals. It employs grounded theory methodology, specifically the Strauss and Corbin systematic approach, to derive an interpretative model of Policy Failure rooted in empirical data. Through in-depth interviews with 15 policy experts and four focus group sessions with 20 scholars, the study gathered qualitative data that were then subjected to open, axial, and selective coding.Results: The central phenomenon identified through this methodology is the “Multifaceted failure of hijab and chastity policies” This central concept reflects a confluence of political, cultural, structural, and discursive breakdowns. The study categorizes causal conditions (such as increasing societal resistance and critique of mandatory hijab), contextual conditions (such as cultural transformations and competing gender ideologies), and intervening conditions (including governance fragmentation and misaligned bureaucratic execution). These conditions are linked to strategic responses—or lack thereof—taken by the policy apparatus.Among the critical findings are three dysfunctional strategies: (1) Securitization and Intensified Control, which transformed a cultural issue into a policing agenda; (2) denial and avoidance of policy learning, wherein authorities ignore academic research and societal feedback; and (3) Interim and Symbolic Reactions, characterized by superficial campaigns and public messaging rather than systemic change. These strategies, while aimed at controlling dissent or reasserting authority, have largely backfired, resulting in reduced public trust, increased social polarization, and ultimately the reproduction of failed policies.The consequences of these strategies are explored in depth. The research highlights the production of “bad policies”—those that are reactive, overly centralized, and disconnected from ground-level realities. This is coupled with the absence of necessary policies, such as educational, cultural, and family-oriented initiatives that might foster voluntary alignment with Islamic values. The model developed in this study maps these failures across the policy cycle—from agenda-setting to evaluation—demonstrating that failures occur not only at the point of implementation but also in design, legitimacy, and responsiveness.This study contributes to the broader literature on Policy Failure and learning by contextualizing Iran’s hijab policies within a systemic framework. It proposes that hijab, as a policy issue, cannot be addressed effectively through coercion or top-down mandates alone. Instead, policies must engage with the cultural, discursive, and generational transformations within Iranian society. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of bridging the gap between knowledge and policy, advocating for a greater incorporation of empirical research and public engagement into the policy process.Discussion: Therefore, the central phenomenon of " Multifaceted failure of hijab and chastity policies" in Iran was represented with a paradigmatic model in relation to the listed conditions, and it received solutions to overcome the existing conditions. In conclusion, the research underscores the multi-dimensional nature of Policy Failure in the case of Iran’s hijab regulation. The complexity of the issue demands an equally nuanced and layered approach to policy design—one that respects cultural dynamics, prioritizes social trust, and leverages evidence-based policymaking. The grounded theory model offered in this paper not only unpacks the specific factors behind policy inefficacy in the domain of hijab but also serves as a broader template for analyzing Policy Failure in similarly complex socio-political contexts.

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