October 26, 2010 4:59PM 

# Heightening the Contradictions in Iran 

By [Justin Logan](https://www.cato.org/people/justin-logan) 

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[This](http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE69N14620101024), it seems to me, is a sign of a brittle, weak government that is fighting time and surviving exclusively on its nationalist credential:

> TEHRAN (Reuters) — Iran will not allow its universities to begin teaching certain disciplines it deems too “Western,” and existing courses will be revised, a senior Education Ministry was quoted as saying Sunday.
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> “Expansion of 12 disciplines in the social sciences like law, women’s studies, human rights, management, sociology, philosophy.…psychology and political sciences will be reviewed,” Abolfazl Hassani was quoted as saying in the Arman newspaper.
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> “These sciences’ contents are based on Western culture. The review will be the intention of making them compatible with Islamic teachings.”
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> Hassani said Iranian universities will not be allowed to open new departments in these disciplines and the curricula for existing departments would be revised.

Link [via](http://www.themonkeycage.org/2010/10/potpourri_34.html) John Sides.

##### Related Tags 

[Defense and Foreign Policy](https://www.cato.org/defense-foreign-policy), [Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Iran](https://www.cato.org/iran) 

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