Nadia Maria Filippini
Abstract This article analyses the modalities whereby contemporary women writers in Iran have described the urban environment in order to accompany the process of introspection and, in some cases, “enfranchisement” of the protagonists of their novels. By examining the urban space “discovered” as traversed by women, I follow the possible traces of important psychological and social changes. The article focuses on three novels, namely Parande-ye man (My Bird) by Faribā Vafi, Eḥtemālan gom šode-am (Probably I’m Lost) by Sārā Sālār, Negarān nabāš (Don’t Worry) by Mahsā Moḥebʿali. Here, I engage with the reasons for urban exploration, the degree of interaction with the external environment, the physical and psychological consequences of exploration and the type of narrative that ensues.