Hasan Allahyari

The discovery and export of oil in recent decades led to the industrialization of Kharg Island, imposing massive transformations on the lives of its indigenous community. Acknowledging the overlooked adaptation of the native people to these changes—particularly their impact on women—this study primarily attempts to examine the influence of the oil industry on the transition of entire indigenous society in Kharg from tradition to modernity. To achieve this in-depth understanding, a descriptive-analytical approach was adopted, utilizing oral history methodology based on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with seven elderly indigenous women as their narratives, as the voices of the subaltern, provide a comprehensive insight into the transformations of the entire society, revealing hidden dimensions of these changes through a gender studies lens inspired by Joan Scott’s approach. The findings indicate that the establishment of the oil industry resulted in a more open social environment, changes in lifestyle (including food and clothing), the introduction of technology in the cultural sphere, and fundamental shifts in business and economic prosperity. This research also highlights the differing impacts of industrialization on men and women, as well as the contrast in their status during the Pahlavi and Islamic Republic eras.