Academic Cultural Studies in Iran: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

The establishment of Cultural Studies departments in Iran and also the big wecome it has received amongst public intellectuals outside university, while far from a distinct theoretical tradition, has nonetheless trnasfoemed the ideology, agenda, approaches and esistemiological and methodological orientation of mainstram social sciences in Iran. Drawing on the writers' 10 years eduacational experience at Allameh Tabataba'I University and also content analyzing of more than 100 master thesis of Cultural Studies graduates, I argue that methodological diversity, a closer link: between theory and method and reliance on a wider range of data analysis strategies have caused a radical change in the mainstream social science research policy and has put forward new agendas in the study of culture and society in Iran thereby bridging humanities and social sciences.

Keywords

• cultural studies
• cultural tum
• interdisciplinarity
• reflexivity
• disciplinary culture