Teaching Comparative

Policy making in Iran

When a political culture is based, in part, on absolute truth mediated by people, there are disagreements. Accepted truth is based on which people have power in the system. This article from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty describes an Iranian example. Another example can be found in the arguments of "left wing" critics of China's government. It's more difficult to find examples in political cultures that don't claim to be based on absolutes, but a case study comparing Iran and China could be useful in describing how politics works in those cultures that do.

The questions raised by this description of the Iranian policy questions include

• What practical considerations have to be accommodated?
• What compromises with absolute segregation are the conservatives willing to consider?
• What is the source of the political power of the opponents of public segregation?
• How can those opponents exercise their power?

Iran: Debate Sharpens Over Gender Segregation

"Conservative elements in Iran are pushing to increase the segregation of men and women in public...

"The separation of men and women has arguably been part of Iranian culture for longer than its Islamic-based government. But gender-based segregation in public life was institutionalized following the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979.

"Some fundamentalists consider it a solution to prevent social interaction that they regard as a potential source of evil...

"Former reformist legislator Fatemeh Rakei tells RFE/RL that she thinks the new push for segregation is unlikely to succeed.

"'In the early years of the revolution, some people wanted to do the same in the universities and, as far as I know, the late Imam [Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini] opposed it,' Rakei says. 'But currently there are some strange radical views, which also exist in the Islamic world -- unfortunately -- but I don't think they can implement these views.'

"Despite such criticism, advocates of segregation appear determined to enforce gender segregation in public arenas...

"[Azadeh Kian, a lecturer in political science and an Iran researcher at France's National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS)] says the new measures will meet resistance from women who now compose about two-thirds of new university students.

"'These attempts will fail, because today women in Iran have a very high level of knowledge,' Kian says. 'They are very active in public spheres, and they can't -- through public segregation -- force women to return and stay in their homes.'"

posted by Ken Wedding @ 6:35 AM