Developmental Idealism and the Proposal of a Theoretical Model for Family Change in Iran

This research examines dynamics and change in the Iranian family during the recent half- century especially subsequent to the Islamic revolution in 1979. Developmental positions and changes are discussed and consideration is given to the extent to which family dynamics and change have been influenced by structural changes or ideational forces. We will focus on ideational forces based on a new approach that explains how ideational forces have been raised from two sources comprising idealized family morality and the second, developmental idealism. The former has been emerged of sources of resistance like tradition, religion, and state as internal forces and the later of objective structural changes under the effect of modernization, globalization, communication, world economy conditions and universal culture. Change resources are structural aspects and in face of change, resistance sources are religion, tradition and state that their effects have been mirrored in beliefs, attitudes, tendencies, views near the individuals. Consistency or conflict these two dimensions including idealized family morality and developmental idealism, which are both ideational forces, through mediational factors such as internal transformations or external effects and conditions could explain family change in Iran. The purpose of this study is to determine to what extent has the family changed over these years in Iran? And how have ideas affected change? Our goal is to document the extent to which ordinary people in Iran believe and accept the propositions of developmental idealism and related aspects of developmental thinking. On the other hand, idealized family morality reflects beliefs, attitudes, values, that are being originated of three sources including tradition, state, and religion as we hypothesize. Based on theoretical framework, some main questions for this research are:1-Will family changes in Iran be more under effect of idealized family morality or developmental idealism?,2-What's the role of state in this model, enhancing developmental idealism in favor of change or play a restraining role? When could the state variate its role? Why? And main hypotheses of the study are including: 1-It seems there is positive correlation between family change and developmental idealism, that is, the more family change results the more developmental aspects and reversely.2-there is negative relation between family change and idealized morality so that the more power of tradition and religion decrease rate of change. The Methodology in this research will be the documentary study that is based on social scientists’ observations, available statistics and documentaries. Eventually this research tries to propose family change in Iran in the form of comprehensive and systematic theoretical model.