Nina Ansary (Persian: ???? ???????) (born 1966, Tehran, Iran) is an Iranian-American historian and author best known for her work on women's equity in Iran. Ansary's research has notably countered conventional assumptions of the progress of women in Iran while continuing to advocate for full emancipation. In 2015, Women's eNews recognized Ansary as one of "21 leaders of the 21st century."
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Early life and education
Ansary was born in Tehran to former Iranian Ambassador to the United States Hushang Ansary and Maryam Panahi Ansary. In 1978, months before the Iranian Revolution, Ansary's father moved the family to the United States and she grew up in New York City. Ansary received her bachelor's degree from Barnard College and both her master's degree and doctorate from Columbia University.
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Career
In 2013, Ansary's doctoral thesis about the women's movement in Iran produced research that would later inspire her book, The Jewels of Allah. Despite Ayatollah Khomeini's views on women, they were some of his biggest supporters and this was a key factor in the collapse of the Pahlavi Monarchy in 1979. Once it came to power, the Islamic republic in Iran did enforce the inferiority of women through policy. Ansary's research challenged assumptions about the lives of women under these policies and accented the documented, if unanticipated, consequences including a growing female literacy rate, lower fertility, and increase of women overall in higher education in Iran.
By 2014, Ansary and her research became increasingly prominent in mainstream media as authoritative on women's issues in Iran. The Clarion Project featured Ansary and her work. The Daily Beast published Ansary's essays, including analysis of the possibilities of using modern interpretations of the Koran to support increased social freedoms for women as proposed by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Ansary became a regular commentator: she wrote widely about the rise of women's literacy in Iran and supported the renewed publication of Zanan magazine, Iran's only Persian language magazine for women.
In early 2015, Women's eNews named Ansary as one of their "21 leaders of the 21st century" for interrupting legacy narratives and bringing clarity to often misunderstood stereotypes. Ansary wrote that she wanted her work to dispel misconceptions and aid women living in Iran who "continue to fight an uphill battle and demonstrate their resilience." Her work grew to encompass the greater issues around gender inequality. She brought attention to the release of Desert Dancer, a biographical film about Iranian dancer Afshin Ghaffarian. Ansary was included in the 2015 InspireFest in Dublin, Ireland.
In 2016, Marie Claire profiled Dr. Ansary as one of 14 privileged women to change the world. Other recognitions include a feature in Angeleno Magazine's "Living Legacies of 2016" and selection as one of "Five Iranian Visionaries You Need to Know" and "6 Women Who Build Bridges Not Walls" by The New York Times. Ansary has appeared on Larry King, The BBC and Fox News and been featured in a variety of top publications, including CNN.com, The Los Angeles Times, and Teen Vogue.
In 2017, Ansary was invited to be a Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics Centre for Women, Peace and Security.
In 2018, Ansary was appointed as UN Women Ambassador/Champion for Innovation to advance women and girls in Technology and Entrepreneurship and began serving on the Board of Directors of the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).
Jewels of Allah
Ansary's book was published in 2015. The book highlights stories of Iranian women and follows the history of women's liberation in Iran both before and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The book received solid reviews; Kirkus Reviews called it "well-documented and persuasively written examination of the change in Iranian women's status" and The New York Times stated that its premise is "both gripping and features a clever thought-provoking twist." The book has also won multiple awards, including the International Book Award for Women's Issues; Eric Hoffer Award for Best Culture Book, Best Book Cover, and Best Debut Author; Indie Book Award for Historical Non-Fiction and Women's Issues; ForeWord IndieFab Award for Women's Studies; and Best Book Award for Women's Issues.
Philanthropy
Ansary is president of the Ansary Foundation, a non-profit organization that aids in social welfare issues and works to improve international cooperation and understanding. She has helped administer the Ansary Fellows Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Ansary Fellowships at Texas A & M University. Ansary is on the Board of Trustees at Barnard College and of the Iranian American Women Foundation. She donated the profits from her book to charities, primarily those that aid disadvantaged girls and women in Iran.
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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