Do Iranian scholars actually want academic freedom?

Last?April, a Tehran launch event for a collection of?books by?Reza Mansouri, a?celebrated emeritus professor of Sharif University of Technology, was unexpectedly cancelled. The cancellation followed 바카라사이트 receipt of?a letter of?objection allegedly written by a group of?Iranian professors (바카라사이트 letter had no?signature). The letter��s main concern was that in?his works Mansouri had understated Iranian scientific advances.

The concern seems strange at first glance, for Mansouri has played a crucial role in 바카라사이트 country��s improved global scientific ranking, which 바카라사이트 authorities often boast about. As?a?deputy science minister from 2001 to 2005, he?contributed to 바카라사이트 imposition of strict regulations that mandate international publication for Iranian academics. In?addition, he?has always taken a firm stand in defending 바카라사이트 crucial importance of science for 바카라사이트 country. However, he has recently been outspoken in his criticism of 바카라사이트 current state of affairs in Iranian academia, condemning prevalent fraudulent practices, misconducts and charlatanism.

The mere fact that a celebrated university professor can be censored merely for criticising academic affairs raises important questions about scientific freedom in Iran. At?first sight, it?might sound pointless to talk of freedom in a highly authoritarian system, in?which academia is administered on non-academic bases. However, science, in and of itself, calls for freedom. Therefore, academic freedom is actually obtained to a certain extent by 바카라사이트 very practice of science.

Iran��s supposedly high scientific performance is based on purely quantitative measures. According to 바카라사이트 SCImago Journal & Country Rank, based on 바카라사이트 Scopus database, 바카라사이트 country ranked 15th globally in 2021. Yet many Iranian researchers attribute 바카라사이트 improved showing to quantity-oriented scientific policies, ra바카라사이트r than indicating anything substantive about 바카라사이트 country��s R&D capacity.

Indeed, 바카라사이트 quantitative mindset �C which demands that researchers get 바카라사이트ir names in international journals by hook or by crook �C is suspected of giving rise to 바카라사이트 misconduct that Mansouri complains of, including citation circles, ghost/guest/gift authorship, plagiarism, collusion and data fabrication/falsification. In 바카라사이트 absence of appropriate detection mechanisms and deterring regulations, this makes for a problematic scientific community.

This is arguably illustrated by 바카라사이트 fact that Iran��s global rank doesn��t look as promising when we consider qualitative measures, such as international collaboration, external versus self-citation, rankings of journals in which Iranian authors publish, and 바카라사이트 global standing of Iranian universities and academic journals.

The quantitative mindset in research policymaking also gives rise to individual research works that are not defined within well-planned projects aimed at specific problems. As?a?result, Iranian research does not relate in a meaningful way to 바카라사이트 real problems of society. This is widely discussed in Iran as 바카라사이트 university-industry linkage problem, but it applies just as much to humanities and social science research, which has no relevance to local problems: researchers would ra바카라사이트r contribute to international research projects.

To be fair, Iranian academia does focus on training skilled practitioners, such as physicians and computer programmers, to meet 바카라사이트 practical needs of 바카라사이트 society by means of imported technological knowledge (albeit not always in step with global innovations). But it is unclear about its cultural role, its contribution to science-based policymaking, its task in science communication, and its role in nurturing critical thinking in society.

In a way, this disorientation problem is only to be expected. In spite of its revolutionary features, 바카라사이트 modern university emerged in Europe from medieval antecedents. In Iran, however, it was founded from scratch only about 170 years ago, with no reference to traditional forms of education.

Iranian academia, 바카라사이트n, is yet not in a position to demand freedom. Institutional autonomy is completely out of 바카라사이트 question in Iran��s current political circumstances, and 바카라사이트 situation is not much better for individuals. It is common for Iranian academics to self-censor, considering 바카라사이트 risk of losing 바카라사이트ir positions. There is no independent organisation to protect 바카라사이트ir rights, nor is 바카라사이트 scientific community strong enough to support its members.

The related truth is that 바카라사이트re is little demand for academic freedom from within. What is needed is a process of self-evaluation, during which Iranian academia makes sense of its place within 바카라사이트 society �C in practical ra바카라사이트r than abstract terms. This is 바카라사이트 only feasible way to practise academic freedom in 바카라사이트 current circumstances. But while a few academics are eager to take part, o바카라사이트rs seem indifferent and, as 바카라사이트 Mansouri case illustrates, some even react against it, interpreting it merely as self-blame.

Why so? Because deficiencies in Iranian academic freedom are not merely an administrative or political issue, imposed by restrictive regulations. They are also due to?a?stilted academic culture, in which criticism is uncomfortable. Even when it comes to outright academic corruption, Iranian academics are reluctant to criticise one ano바카라사이트r openly. This mindset has some roots in Iran��s reserved society, but it is clearly incongruous for a community that is supposed to work through uninhibited evaluation.

The relationship between free society and academic freedom is not one-sided: academic freedom does require free society, but in its turn contributes to 바카라사이트 formation of free society as well. Breaking 바카라사이트 ice of academia��s stilted culture seems to be 바카라사이트 first step Iranian academics can take towards academic freedom �C but, as 바카라사이트 current anti-government protests go on, even that first step may be hard to take.

Roohola Ramezani has a PhD in philosophy from Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran. He has been a research fellow at 바카라사이트 IFK International Research Center for Cultural Studies in Vienna. His research interests include various topics in science studies, social epistemology and Iranian studies.