“To Do Something We Are Unable to Do in Iran”: Cyberspace, the Public Sphere, and the Iranian Women’s Movement

In this article I explore how the Iranian women’s movement managed to transform cyberspace into a place for movement making. During the ascension of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s radical government in 2005, the movement witnessed the suppression of civil society organizations and the imposition of restrictions on the public sphere, independent media, and any space that permitted connections between different social groups. Facing increased suppression, the Iranian women’s movement undertook more activities in cyberspace, operating in real space only when strategically necessary. In the past few years, Iranian women have led the transition from public places to alternative spaces and have demonstrated how to utilize virtual space for movement organization and development. These adaptations and transformations demonstrate that movements can grow under authoritarian regimes, among restricted public spaces and the repression of civil society.