Recuperare la memoria storica delle donne. I testi di Banafše Ḥejāzi

Abstract

Banafše Ḥejāzi, born in 1954 in Borujerd, is an Iranian essayist, poet, and novelist, writing for both adults and children. Ḥejāzi developed an interest in exploring the presence of women in ancient (pre-Islamic) Iranian history, arguing that it
is the duty of contemporary historians to trace the connection between women and the creation of historical memory. She later expanded her research to the history of the dynasties of Islamic Iran, up until the 20th century. Conscious of the often fragmented state of sources on the history of women, Ḥejāzi argues that through such sources the historian can read how some have memorialized and transmitted events, including those concerning women. This article offers an overview of Banafše Ḥejāzi’s historiographical work, through which she has been able to document the presence and contributions of women to the history of Iran.