Examining the Phenomenon of Violence Against Children in Qajar Iran Based on Johan Galtung’s Theory (A Case Study of Foreign Travelogues from the Qajar Era)

Nasiri Ghazani, Aysan; Salmasizadeh, Mohammad

doi:10.22034/chs.2025.506295.1077

Examining the Phenomenon of Violence Against Children in Qajar Iran Based on Johan Galtung’s Theory (A Case Study of Foreign Travelogues from the Qajar Era)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Aysan Nasiri ghazani ¹

mohammad salmasizadeh ²

¹ Ph.D. Candidate in Iranian History (Islamic Period), Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

² Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/chs.2025.506295.1077

Abstract

Violence against children is a historical phenomenon observed not only in Iranian society but across all societies and historical periods. Despite the varied and scattered definitions of violence, it can be understood as any form of physical, emotional, or psychological harm inflicted upon an individual, with specific consequences. In Qajar-era Iran, violence against children emerged from a complex interplay of factors rooted in the political, economic, social, and cultural structures of the time. Thus, the main purpose of the present study was to investigate the factors contributing to violence against children and its various manifestations in the Qajar period, based on Johan Galtung’s theory of violence. This research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing library-based data collection. Findings from foreign travelogues of the Qajar era revealed different forms of violence against children, including direct, structural, and cultural violence. Direct violence included child massacres and physical punishment, which were prevalent in both society and families. Structural violence manifested itself through poverty, lack of access to education, healthcare, and other basic necessities for children. Meanwhile, cultural violence was evident in the institutionalization of values and norms that legitimized discrimination and the humiliation of children in the Qajar society

Keywords

Violence

Johan Galtung

Children

Foreign travelogues of the Qajar era

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