Guide to Specialists

Asieh Mir
Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow
October 1, 2008 - July 31, 2009

Project Focus:
Mapping the Minds, Charting the Course: A Qualitative Approach to the Democratic Movement in Iran

Phone: (202) 429-3871

E-mail: amir@usip.org

Languages: Farsi

Asieh Mir’s research project seeks to understand why Iran’s pro-democracy ruling elites have failed to establish democratic values and institutions in the Iranian political arena. The study aims to shed light on the perceptions of democracy among these pro-democracy political elites in order to find out whether these political elites are unified. A central question of this study is: “What characteristics of democracy do they highlight and what is disregarded?”She proposes that attitudes about democracy are very much affected by a dual value system that causes conflict in their notion of democracy and creates barriers to an optimal political system.

Mir was a visiting scholar in the Department of Anthropology at Boston University, focusing on Women’s Studies and Political Science from 2003 to 2005.

While in Tehran (1999-2002), Mir held various advisory positions in government agencies and in civil society organizations. She has also been a consultant and trainer for workshops crisscrossing Iran, advocating for women as leaders for both civil society and government employees.

Mir holds a B.A., an M.S. and a Ph.D. in political science from Tehran University.

Publications:

• ?Women?s Rights and Democracy: Peaceful Transformation in Iran,? The Initiative for Inclusive Security (May 2006).
• ?Iranian Women in Public Arena, from 1978-98,? Law and Political Science Faculty, Tehran University (March 2000).
• ?Why Does Authoritarianism Linger On? A Review of Iranian Political Culture,? Pasjuhesh Quarterly (Winter 1997).
• ?Rethinking Social Democracies, Western Political Philosophy,? Neda (February 1997).