SACRED DISRUPTION: PROTEST MOVEMENTS AND SECULARISM UNDER THE IRANIAN THEOCRACY How do protest movements interact with secularism in theocratic countries? What role do they play in the broader process of secularization? Through an in-depth analysis of the 2022 Women Life Freedom protests in Iran, I find that protest movements engage with secularism by stressing a choice between a religious or secular life. By creating a tangible manifestation of burgeoning secular trends, highlighting religion as a potentially oppressive force, and emphasizing the social tensions that subtly marginalize openly religious people regardless of their political beliefs, protests embolden the already recognized social trend away from religion. I derive these findings from archival research, newspaper analysis, and key informant interviews, which together pose a holistic view of the Women Life Freedom movement. My findings contribute to theoretical understandings of secularization processes by addressing gaps in secularization theory, the religious markets model, and religious-politics theory, while also expanding identity theory in social movements to include secularism as a potentially unifying or exclusionary ideology. My research has practical implications for understanding the intricacies of theocratic governing structures, highlighting the multifaceted nature of resistance, and demonstrating the value of studying religion and secularism to understand internal political dynamics in both theocratic and secular countries. Michela Giovanna Alioto-Pier creator Polatty, David thesis advisor Babadi, Mehrdad reader Brown University. International and Public Affairs sponsor 2025 text_resources born digital English Senior thesis (AB)--Brown University, 2025 International and Public Affairs theses Islam Resistance Secularism Protests Identity Theocracy All rights reserved In Copyright All Rights Reserved 10.26300/rffp-0e86