My latest opinion piece for The Majalla talks about a tug-of-war taking place between President Hassan Rouhani’s moderate administration and the conservatives over the control of Iran’s universities. I argue that the outcome of the conflict is not certain, but a rejection of the Science Minister’s proposed changes would decrease any hope for short-term improvements in academic freedom in Iran.
One of the biggest disputes between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s moderate administration and Iran’s conservative factions is centered on the issue of academic freedom. Conservative forces are attempting to stay in control of the country’s educational system, while the moderates are hoping to increase the autonomy of Iran’s universities. The outcome of this conflict will be a litmus test for the level of academic freedom permitted under the current administration.
The regime’s struggle to control academia is not new. Even before the contested 2009 Presidential Election, Iran’s universities were a hotbed of political activity. A series of student protests of July 1999 that began as a peaceful demonstration in Tehran were violently suppressed after six days of demonstrations and riots across the country. The desire to closely monitor and regulate student and faculty activities is therefore logical from the perspective of the country’s political elite, if they want to eliminate the chance of a spark that could result in mass public dissent. Read more…