Title : Redesigning the activism model of the seminary in the system of formulating cultural policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Student : Mahdi MolayiArani

supervisor : Dr. SeyyedMohammadHosein Hashemiyan

Advisor : Dr. Hamid Parsaniya

Grade : PHD  Years : 2017

Abstract:

The process of cultural policy-making generally consists of three stages: formulation, implementation and evaluation.

The formulation stage is more important and sensitive as the foundation and of other stages. Therefore, each government tries to formulate its cultural policies by making maximum use of experts’ opinions so that the implementation stage faces the slightest challenge and damage.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran government, due to the religious and Islamic nature of the system, the presence of the seminary as a “representative of religion” in the formulation of policies is an undeniable necessity.

Nearly four decades after the Islamic Revolution, the role and position of the seminary in this field have experienced many ups and downs. Unfortunately, they have not yet reached their desired position.

In this dissertation, while examining the historical trend of the presence of the clergy and seminary in governance, a normative model of the seminary’s presence in cultural policy-making based on the statements of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution has been presented.

Afterwards, by interviewing 14 officials and experts in the seminary and governance and using the content analysis method, 72 challenges facing the seminary’s activism in formulating cultural policies have been identified.

These challenges are classified into three broad themes: epistemological, contextual, and managerial challenges.

In the final section, 14 policies are presented to address these challenges.

Keywords: seminary, cultural policy, Islamic Republic of Iran