In the Name of Tradition

In the Name of Tradition

In the Name of Tradition, by Kameel Ahmady and colleagues, examines female genital mutilation/cutting in Iran. It explores the beliefs, social expectations and unequal relationships that can sustain the practice.

The book’s critical focus is the use of tradition and pressure to legitimise harm, alongside the responsibilities of institutions and communities in protecting women and girls. Its fieldwork aims to contribute evidence for awareness, discussion and prevention.

Geographical scope and interpretation

The study concerns selected communities in West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Kermanshah and Hormozgan. Its findings document the practice within the research setting and help explain local experiences and social conditions.

This does not establish that every community in those provinces practises FGM or provide a national prevalence rate. Assess numbers against the study location, participants’ ages, recruitment and dates.

Definition and health evidence

WHO defines FGM as non-medical removal of or injury to female genital organs and states that it has no health benefits. Its evidence on harm is a separate source from this book’s analysis of social conditions in Iran.

Different procedures and individual experiences should be described accurately. The introduction does not use a local sample to estimate the frequency of medical consequences across an entire population.

Tradition, acceptance and bodily autonomy

The research examines expectations attached to belonging, reputation and acceptable behaviour. It asks how pressure from families and communities can restrict a girl’s or woman’s ability to refuse an intervention.

Understanding the setting is part of explaining how a practice persists. It also directs attention to the people and institutions able to support change.

Follow-up research and the documentary

The related report The Changing Paradigms of FGM describes follow-up work and face-to-face education in some study areas. Reported changes need to be read with the methods and sample; they do not automatically prove an intervention’s causal effect.

The fieldwork is also associated with a documentary bearing the same title. Book, report and film are different forms of presenting the research and should be identified separately when cited.

Common questions

Does the study provide an FGM rate for all of Iran?

The introduction establishes a study in selected communities, rather than a nationally representative prevalence estimate.

Which download should I use?

The access labels distinguish the book, standalone follow-up report and combined file. Cite the imprint and pages of the file actually consulted.

Where can I find available editions?

Use the access links above, checking the language, format and imprint of the file you choose. The title and page numbers in your citation should match that edition.

Related reading

• Female genital mutilation/cutting
• The Changing Paradigms of FGM

Read the Farsi book introduction for the corresponding presentation and available material.