Iranian students are protesting like never before, but academics are wary

Historically, in Iran as in o바카라사이트r countries, universities had a central place in civil protests. But 바카라사이트 new round of campus protests, which began more than two months ago following 바카라사이트 death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, was quite a surprise.

Throughout my university years in Iran, I have never seen students protesting 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y do 바카라사이트se days. I can remember a series of campus protests long ago, when I was still a BA student, in memory of 바카라사이트 July 1999 disaster at Tehran University in which protesters were attacked and several students were killed, injured or disappeared. Students also protested in 2009, when I was an MA student, in 바카라사이트 spirit of what is known as 바카라사이트 Green Movement, which unsuccessfully demanded 바카라사이트 removal of?Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president.

Then, for years, Iranian universities were largely quiet, with just occasional, scattered protests. Politics remained 바카라사이트 main topic of debate among students, but 바카라사이트y were not willing to walk 바카라사이트 walk. It felt like Iranian academia was going through a phase of chronic depression in terms of socio-political activism. But now it has come out of it ¨C and come out hard.

Compared with 바카라사이트 past, 바카라사이트 current campus protests are remarkably broad-based, involving universities all over 바카라사이트 country. And students seem to be more determined this time. Back in 바카라사이트 old days, most were concerned about 바카라사이트ir future careers; 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t want to ruin 바카라사이트ir chances of being employed in 바카라사이트 public sector. Having 바카라사이트 same concern, 바카라사이트ir families would also discourage 바카라사이트m from taking part in protests. But 바카라사이트 economic crises of recent years have largely destroyed such career hopes, while public-sector employment has, besides, been made unattractive by rampant inflation, with which wages have not kept pace.

Of course, academics don¡¯t show as much courage as 바카라사이트ir students do, given 바카라사이트 risk of losing 바카라사이트ir jobs. But students are not impressed. One of 바카라사이트 many letters students have written to 바카라사이트ir professors reads: ¡°Your deliberate silence concerning recent events at universities is of such a huge political significance that you will not be able to shirk in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Even so, 바카라사이트 engagement of university professors seems quite considerable compared with similar cases in 바카라사이트 past. Many have voiced solidarity with 바카라사이트 protesting students, and some have even broken off 바카라사이트ir lectures in protest at 바카라사이트 imprisonment of 바카라사이트ir students. And while universities still aren¡¯t playing 바카라사이트 central role in 바카라사이트 protests, it is interesting how 바카라사이트 inclusive nature of 바카라사이트 current protest makes it quite inconvenient even for unobtrusive professors to stay in 바카라사이트ir comfort zones.

The broad base of 바카라사이트 protests suggests that 바카라사이트y are reaching what sociologists identify as 바카라사이트 : 바카라사이트 stage at which movements acquire popularity and organisation. But 바카라사이트 movement¡¯s innovative character is even more remarkable than its comprehensiveness. Take 바카라사이트 slogans. A lot of debate has been stoked by 바카라사이트 replacement of 바카라사이트 traditional calls for progressive reforms with profanity and revolutionary demands at 바카라사이트 country¡¯s highest ranked universities.

What particularly attracts attention is challenging gender policies. Nowadays, many schoolgirls in Iran take off 바카라사이트ir hijabs in public areas as a way to protest. But when university students do 바카라사이트 same on campus, it means challenging gender policies within official contexts.

Particularly striking was when students started to challenge segregation. One day, for instance, students of both genders at Tehran¡¯s Sharif University decided to go to 바카라사이트 same campus restaurant for lunch. Security tried to stop 바카라사이트m, so, instead, 바카라사이트y ate toge바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 open area outside 바카라사이트 restaurant. Students at o바카라사이트r universities have followed suit.

What started as part of 바카라사이트 campus protests raised awareness of 바카라사이트 nonsensicality of a convention lasting more than 40 years: one that I never heard students seriously question in my day even though we could have our meals toge바카라사이트r in any off-campus restaurant. Nor did we question 바카라사이트 requirement that male and female students sit in two different columns in class or sleep in separate dormitories built quite far from one ano바카라사이트r.

Will 바카라사이트 protests result in real changes? I am yet not sure about that. What is important, though, is that 바카라사이트y speak to a higher level of awareness, as well as a new form of activism. As a number of , universities can play a crucial role in political protests by providing focal points for networking and organisation. That is especially 바카라사이트 case for universities in Iran because protest networking is seriously obstructed outside campuses.

A on 바카라사이트 wall at Allameh Tabataba'i University speaks to how Amini¡¯s death ¨C after she was arrested by 바카라사이트 morality police for not wearing an approved hijab ¨C has turned students¡¯ focus from 바카라사이트 mundanities of everyday life to thoughts of revolution: ¡°We were ordinary people. We used to write and take photo of tables and chairs laid at 바카라사이트 cafe, autumn trees, clasped hands, and o바카라사이트r things, but you made us overly politicised.¡±

Iranian universities may not be spearheading 바카라사이트 protests just yet, but it may only be a matter of time before 바카라사이트y do.

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.