> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ramin Jahanbegloo: an open letter to Iran's president - URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/openletter-3578jsp/ - Published: 2006-05-23T23:05:00.000Z - Updated: 2019-02-14T22:53:26.000Z - Author: openDemocracy Opendemocracy - Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 19:27 Open Letter to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad CC: Chief Justice, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Mr President Ahmadinejad: We the undersigned appeal for the immediate, unconditional release of prominent scholar and public intellectual, Dr Ramin Jahanbegloo who was arrested at Tehran's international airport in late April 2006\. On 6 May, minister of intelligence, Hojatoleslam Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, confirmed Dr Jahanbegloo's arrest, implying that he is being held in custody for "having contacts with foreigners." For almost four weeks, however, Dr Jahanbegloo has been detained without a court order, official charges, legal representation and the privilege of family visitation – all basic requirements for the due process of law. Dr Jahanbegloo's arrest and continued detention clearly violate the Islamic Republic's domestic laws and Iran's international legal obligations, particularly as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. News of Dr Jahanbegloo's arrest has reverberated among academicians and other intellectuals worldwide. A philosopher committed to the principle of non-violence, Dr Jahanbegloo has worked tirelessly to foster cultural understanding and dialogue between Iranians and other societies. Significantly, as director of the Cultural Research Bureau in Tehran, he has conveyed to myriad readers, students and scholars the complexity of Iranian civilisation and its rich contributions to humanity. Dr Jahanbegloo's effort to illuminate and share Iran's culture and history with others has earned him deep respect and admiration among both intellectuals and laypeople from diverse corners of the globe. Not surprisingly, those who follow his work, both in Iran and abroad, are shocked and disappointed by this unlawful treatment of Dr Jahanbegloo. Scholars travelling to and from Iran are especially concerned about this matter and contend Dr Jahanbegloo's arrest will deter such exchanges and scientific research. In short, we believe Dr Jahanbegloo's detainment demands your intervention as soon as possible to resolve this matter properly, ensuring his prompt release. Respectfully, John Abromeit, Collegiate Assistant Professor of Social Sciences, University of Chicago Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Fellow and Lecturer in International Relations, University of Oxford Fariba Adelkhah, *Directeur de recherchè, Centre d'ètudes et de recherches internationales, Sciencespo*, Paris Janet Afary, Professor of History, Purdue University; President, International Society for Iranian Studies Mahasti Afshar, Director of Endowment, Los Angeles Philharmonic Wali Ahmadi, Professor of Near Eastern Studies, University of California-Berkeley Shahab Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies, Harvard University Kazem Alamdari, Professor of Sociology, California State University Nozar Alaolmolki, Professor and Chair of Political Science, Hiram College Aziz Al-Azmeh, Professor of Humanities, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary Farrokh Alemi, Professor of Health Administration and Policy, George Mason University Leila Alieva, Political Analyst and Director of Center for Strategic and International Studies, Baku, Azerbaijan Jon B Alterman, Director of Middle East Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC Abbas Amanat, Professor of History, Yale University Camron Michael Amin, Associate Professor of History, University of Michigan-Dearborn Fariba Amini, President, Non-Profit Foundation for Educational Progress Masserat Amir-Ebrahimi, Independent Social Science Researcher, Tehran Hooshang Amirahmadi, Professor and Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Rutgers University George Andreopoulos, Professor of Political Science, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York Kenneth Anderson, Professor of Law, American University and Research Fellow, Stanford University Maboud Ansari, Professor of Sociology, William Paterson University Kwame Anthony Appiah, University Professor of Philosophy, Princeton University Celia Applegate, Professor of History, University of Rochester Jonathan Arac, Harriman Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University Said Amir Arjomand, Distinguished Service Professor of Sociology, State University of New York at Stony Brook; President of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies Kamran Arjomand, Middle East Special Collection, State and University Library of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany Stanley Aronowitz, Distinguished Professor of Sociology, City University of New York Graduate Center Ronald Aronson, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Wayne State University Timothy Garton Ash , Professor of European Studies, University of Oxford; Director of European Studies Centre and Gerd Bucerius Senior Research Fellow in Contemporary History, St Antony's College, Oxford, England Daryoush Ashouri, Freelance author and lecturer Ronald D. Asmus, Executive Director of German Marshall Fund of the U.S. Arjang A. Assad, Professor of Management Science and Senior Associate Dean, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland Sidney Aster, Professor of History, University of Toronto Touraj Atabaki, Professor of Modern History, University of Amsterdam; Senior Research Fellow, International Institute of Social History \* \* \* **The subject of this appeal, Ramin Jahanbegloo, heads the department for contemporary studies at the** [**Cultural Research Bureau**](http://www.iranculturestudies.com/english/01%5Fintroduction.html?ref=opendemocracy.net)**, Tehran. He was detained on 27 April 2006.** Ramin Jahanbegloo writes in openDemocracy: "[America's dreaming](https://www.opendemocracy.net/articles/View.jsp?id=2067)" (August 2004) - an exchange of letters with Richard Rorty "[Iran's conservative triumph](https://www.opendemocracy.net/articles/View.jsp?id=2632)" (June 2005) – a contribution to a symposium among Iranian intellectuals about the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "[Stronger demands for democratisation](https://www.opendemocracy.net/articles/View.jsp?id=3154)" (22 December 2005) – a contribution to a symposium on what 2006 has in store Ramin Jahanbegloo's website is [here](http://www.iranproject.info/topfram.htm?ref=opendemocracy.net) For protests about the arrest of Ramin Jahanbegloo, click [here](http://www.payvand.com/news/06/may/1077.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) Julian Baggini, Editor, *The Philosophers' Magazine* Bahman Baktiari, Professor of Political Science, University of Maine Sindre Bangstad, PhD Fellow, International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (ISIM), Leiden University, The Netherlands Ali Banuazizi, Professor of Cultural Psychology, Boston College Bat-Ami Bar On, Professor and Chair of Philosophy, State University of New York at Binghamton Anthony Barnett, Editor-in-Chief, **openDemocracy**, London Golbarg Bashi, Visiting Scholar, Department of Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures, Columbia University Subho Basu, Assistant Professor of History, Maxwell School, Syracuse University Zygmunt Bauman, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Universities of Leeds and Warsaw Asef Bayat, Academic Director and Professor, International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (ISIM), Leiden University Marrieluise Beck, Member of German Parliament Maziar Behrooz, Assistant Professor of History, San Francisco State University Alina Belskaya, Program Assistant of Transatlantic Center – The German Marshall Fund of the US Caroline Bergaud, Project Manager of Friends of Europe, Brussels Rima Berns-McGown, Lecturer in Historical Studies, University of Toronto Richard J Bernstein, Professor of Philosophy, New School University Michael Bérubé, Paterno Family Professor in Literature, Pennsylvania State University Rajeev Bhargava, professor of political theory and Indian political thought, University of Delhi Cyrus Bina, Distinguished Research Professor of Economics and Management, University of Minnesota Stephen Blank, Professor of Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Joel Bleifuss, Editor, *In These Times* Mansour Bonakdarian, Assistant Professor of History, Hofstra University Mohammad Borghei, lecturer, Strayer University Daniel Born, Editor, *The Common Review*, The Great Books Foundation Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Professor of Political Science and Director of Middle Eastern Studies Program, Syracuse University Paul Bovè, Professor of English, University of Pittsburgh; Editor of *Boundary 2* Peggy Boyers, Executive Editor, *Salmagundi* Robert Boyers, Professor of Arts and Letters, Skidmore College; Editor of *Salmagundi* Christopher Brooke, Lecturer in Politics, Magdalen College, University of Oxford Martin van Bruinessen, Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, Utrecht University, and ISIM Donald Burke, PhD Candidate, Social and Political Thought, York University and Instructor at the Ontario College of Art and Design Ian Buruma, Writer and Luce Professor of Democracy, Human Rights and Journalism, Bard College, New York Martin Butora, Founder and Honorary President of Institute for Public Affairs, Bratislava, Slovakia Charles E Butterworth, Professor of Government and Politics, University of Maryland, College Park \* \* \* Judith Caesar, Associate Professor of English, American University of Sharjah Peter C Caldwell, Professor of History, Rice University Colin J Campbell, PhD Candidate, Social and Political Thought, York University, Toronto Robert L Canfield, Professor of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis Roane Carey, Senior Editor, *The Nation* Taylor Carman, Associate Professor and Chair of Philosophy, Barnard College Dipesh Chakrabarty, Professor of History, South Asian Languages and Civilizations, University of Chicago Anthony Chase, Assistant Professor of Diplomacy and World Affairs, Occidental College Ranjit Chatterjee, Professor, Lado International College, Silver Spring, MD Houchang-Esfandiar Chehabi, Professor of International Relations and History, Boston University Noam Chomsky, Professor of Linguistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Shahram Chubin, Director of Studies, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Switzerland Nicola Clase, Chief Foreign Policy Adviser of Moderate Party, Sweden Richard Pierre Claude, Emeritus Professor of Government and Politics, University of Maryland, College Park John P Clark, Professor of Philosophy, Loyola University New Orleans Andrei Codrescu, Editor of *Exquisite Corpse*; MacCurdy Distinguished Professor of English at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge JM Coetzee, Writer, Nobel Laureate in Literature, 2003 Joshua Cohen, Professor of Philosophy and Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Editor of *Boston Review* Juan Cole, Professor of History, University of Michigan; President, Middle East Studies Association of North America Sarah Conrad, PhD Candidate, York University, Toronto Gregory B Craig, Attorney, Williams & Connolly, LLP \* \* \* Hamid Dabashi, Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature, Columbia University Pezhmann Dailami, Independent Scholar, Schwerin, Germany Fred Dallmayr, Professor of Philosophy and Political Science, University of Notre Dame Evan Matthew Daniel, Tamiment Library and Robert F Wagner Labor Archives, New York University Mark Danner, Professor of Human Rights, Bard College Arthur Danto, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Columbia University; Art Critic, *The Nation* Mehrdad Darvishpour, Professor of Sociology, Stockholm University, Sweden Dick Davis, Professor of Persian and Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Ohio State University Rochelle Davis, Professor of Anthropology, Georgetown University Natalie Zemon Davis, Henry Charles Lea Professor of History Emeritus, Princeton University António Borges de Carvalho, Vice-President of *Comissã0 Portuguesa do Atlântico* Xavier Decramer, Project Manager of Friends of Europe, Brussels Vasilikie Demos, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of Minnesota Benj DeMott, Editor, *First of the Month* Georgi M Derluguian, Professor of Sociology, Russia Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Professor of Philosophy, Northwestern University Thanos Dokos, Director of Studies, Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, Greece Ariel Dorfman, Walter Hines Page Research Professor of Literature and Professor of Latin American Studies, Duke University Slavenka Drakulic, Writer and Journalist, *Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst*, Berlin Shadia Drury, Canada Research Chair in Social Justice, University of Regina, Canada Ronald Dworkin, Frank Sommers Professor of Law and Philosophy, New York University Law School; Jeremy Bentham Professor of Law and Philosophy at University College, London \* \* \* Shirin Ebadi, Lawyer and the 2003 Nobel Laureate for Peace Umberto Eco, Writer; President of the *Scuola Superiore di Studi Umanistici*, University of Bologna Goudarz Eghtedari, Producer of Voices of the Middle East, Portland, Oregon Maryam Elahi, Director of Human Rights Program, Trinity College, Hartford Lazar Elenovski, President of Euro-Atlantic Council of Macedonia Jon Elster, Professor of Political Science, Columbia University Christoph Emmrich, Professor of Historical Studies, University of Toronto at Mississauga Matthew Engelke, Professor of Anthropology, London School of Economics Nader Entessar, Professor of Political Science and Law, Spring Hill College Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Writer, Germany Mohammad Eskandari, PhD Candidate in Geography, Clark University Mary Selden Evans, Editor and Independent Scholar \* \* \* Fataneh Farahani, PhD Candidate in Ethnology, History of Religions and Gender Studies, University of Stockholm, Sweden Mansour Farhang, Professor of Political Science, Bennington College Farideh Farhi, Adjunct Professor of Political Science, University of Hawai'i at Manoa Grant Farred, Editor, *South Atlantic Quarterly*, Associate Professor of Literature, Duke University Fatema Soudavar Farmanfarmaian, Soudavar Memorial Foundation Dieter Farwick, Global Editor for World Security Network Foundation Tarek Fatah, Journalist and the Host of *Muslim Chronicle*, Toronto Luc Ferry, Philosopher and former Minister of Education, France Nathalie Furrer, Director of Friends of Europe, Brussels Carlos A Forment, Professor, *Centro de Investigacion y Documentacion de la Vida Publica*, Buenos Aires James Franklin, Professor of Politics and Government, Ohio Wesleyan University Ralf Fuecks, President, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin \* \* \* Amir H Gandjbakhche, Senior Investigator and Chief of Section on Biomedical Stochastic Physics, National Institutes of Health Mark Gasiorowski, Professor and Director of International Studies Program, Louisiana State University Henry Louis Gates, Jr, Director of the W E B Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research, Harvard University William Joseph Gavin, Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern Maine Norman Geras, Professor Emeritus of Politics, University of Manchester Hadi Ghaemi, Human Rights Watch Sasan Ghahreman, Journalist and Publisher, Afra Publishing Co, Toronto M R Ghanoonparvar, Professor of Persian and Comparative Literature, University of Texas at Austin Halleh Ghorashi, Professor of Management of Diversity and Integration, De Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands Amitav Ghosh, Writer James C Gibson, Associate Clinical Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University Joan Gibson, Professor of Arts and Letters, York University, Toronto Sander L. Gilman, Distinguished Professor of the Liberal Arts and Sciences, Emory University Carlo Ginzburg, Professor of History, University of California at Los Angeles Todd Gitlin, Professor of Journalism and Sociology, Columbia University Joshua Glenn, Journalist, *Boston Globe* Anthony Gottlieb, Executive Editor, *Economist* Ezzat Goushegir, Playwright and Lecturer, DePaul University Peter Gran, Professor of History, Temple University Fuat Gursozlu, Graduate Student in Social, Political, Ethical and Legal Philosophy, Binghamton University \* \* \* Jürgen Habermas, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Frankfurt Saeed Hagh, Security Architect, Symantec Engineering, Australia Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, Visiting Scholar, Center for International Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Levon Haftvan, Artistic Director, Lemaz Production Co, Canada Ian Hacking, Professeur au Collège de France; Professor of Philosophy, University of Toronto Rick Halpern, Bissell-Heyd-Associates Professor of American Studies; Director, Centre for the Study of the United States, Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto Egbert Harmsen, PhD Candidate, International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (ISIM), Leiden University Gita Hashemi, Lecturer in Humanities and Visual Arts, York University, Toronto Hormoz Hekmat, Editor, *Iran Nameh* Agnes Heller, Hannah Arendt Professor of Philosophy, New School for Social Research, New York and member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Jessica Henderson, Project Manager of Security and Defense Agenda, Forum Europe, Brussels Susan R Henderson, Professor of Architecture, Syracuse University Isabel Hilton, Editor, **openDemocracy** Gur Hirshberg, PhD Candidate, Georgetown University Richard P Hiskes, Professor of Political Science, University of Connecticut and Editor of *Journal of Human Rights* Stephen Holmes, Professor of Law, New York University Peter Hudis, Writer and Editor, *News and Letters* Lynne Huffer, Department of Women's Studies, Emory University Alice Hunsberger, Lecturer in Islamic Subjects, Hunter College, City University of New York Jana Hybaskova, MEP, EPP / ED, Member of the European Parliament and former Czech Ambassador to Kuwait \* \* \* Hussein Ibish, Senior Fellow, American Task Force on Palestine & Executive Director of the Foundation for Arab-American Leadership David Ingram, Professor of Philosophy, Loyola University, Chicago Brad Inwood, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Ancient Philosophy, University of Toronto Micheline Ishay, Professor and Director of the International Human Rights Program, Graduate School of International Studies, University of Denver \* \* \* Bruce P Jackson, President of Project on Transitional Democracies, Washington, DC Mohammad R. Jahan-Parvar, PhD Candidate of Economics, University of North Carolina Michael Jarvis, Assistant Professor of History, University of Rochester Jennifer Jenkins, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Modern German History, University of Toronto Hans Joas, Professor of Sociology, University of Erfurt, Germany Tony Judt, Professor of History and Director of Remarque Institute, New York University Neil Jumonville, William Warren Rogers Professor and Chair of History, Florida State University Mazda Kahnamuyipour, English Literature and ESL Teacher, Toronto Yahya Kamalipour, Professor of Communication; Managing Editor of *Global Media Journal*, Purdue University Mehrangiz Kar, Fellow, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, Harvard University Kazem Kardavani, Writer and Researcher Persis M Karim, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, San Jose State University Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak, Professor and Founding Director, The Center for Persian Studies, University of Maryland Massoud Karshenas, Professor of Economics, University of London Malavika Kasturi, Assistant Professor of History, University of Toronto Linda Karvinen, Senior Manager of Security and Defense Agenda, Forum Europe, Brussels Homa Katouzian, Editor, *Iranian Studies*, The Middle East Centre, St Antony's College, University of Oxford Thomas Keenan, Director of Human Rights Project, Bard College Craig Kennedy, President of German Marshall Fund of the US Arang Keshavarzian, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Concordia University Jeffrey Ketland, Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Edinburgh El-Farouk Khaki, Refugee and Immigration Lawyer and Secretary General of Muslim Canadian Congress, Canada Mina Khanlarzadeh, PhD Candidate in Physics, Clark University Nasser Khadjenoori, Chief Operation Officer of Source Code Corporation Mohamed Khimji, PhD Candidate in Social and Political Thought, York University, Toronto Laleh Khalili, Lecturer in Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Shahram Kholdi, Graduate Teaching Fellow and Ph.D. Candidate, University of Manchester Mehdi Khorrami, Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature, New York University Mana Kia, PhD Candidate in History and Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University Azadeh Kian-Thiebaut, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Paris VIII Mark Kingwell, Professor of Philosophy, Trinity College, University of Toronto Janos Kis, Professor of Philosophy and Political Science, Central European University, Budapest, Hungry Gavin Kitching, Professor and the Head of the School of Politics and International Relations, University of New South Wales, Australia Eva Feder Kittay, Professor of Philosophy, Stony Brook University Leszek Kolakowski, Philosopher, Fellow of the British Academy; Fellow of the *Académie Universelle des Cultures*; Foreign Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Joachim Krause, Professor and Acting Director of the Institute for Political Science, University of Kiel Helmut Kremling, Professor of German, Ohio Wesleyan University Grigorijs Krupnikovs, Board member, Latvian Transatlatic Organisation Rebecca Kukla, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Carleton University Ludger Kűhnhardt, Director of the Center for European Integration Studies, Germany \* \* \* Habib Ladjevardi, Director of Iranian Oral History Project, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University Abdol-Karim Lahidji, Lawyer and Vice-President of the International Federation of the Human Rights Ernesto Laclau, Professor of Political Theory, University of Essex George Lakoff, Professor of Philosophy, University of California at Berkeley Vinay Lal, Associate Professor of History and Asian American Studies, University of California at Los Angeles Tong Lam, Assistant Professor of History, University of Toronto Stephen N. Lambden, Research Scholar, Ohio University Joanne Landy, Co-Director of Campaign for Peace and Democracy Sandra Lane, Professor and Chair of Health and Wellness, Syracuse University Roland Le Huenen, Professor and Director of Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Toronto Isaac Levi, John Dewey Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, Columbia University Rick Lewis, Editor, *Philosophy Now* Leonard Lewisohn, Lecturer in Persian, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter Jeffrey Librett, Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures, University of Oregon Julie Lindhout, President, The Atlantic Council of Canada John Lloyd, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University Bert Lockwood, Distinguished Service Professor and Director of Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights, University of Cincinnati Law School \* \* \* Kenneth Iain MacDonald, Professor of Geography and Program in International Development Studies, University of Toronto Alasdair MacIntyre, Senior Research Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame Ali Akbar Mahdi, Professor of Sociology, Ohio Wesleyan University Mojtaba Mahdavi, Lecturer in Political Science, University of Western, Canada Charles S Maier, Leverett Saltonstall Professor of History, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University Richard Manning, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Carleton University Farid Marjaee, Urban Planner, Toronto, Canada Hamid Marjaee, NGO volunteer and former board member of FoodShare, GreenSaver, East Toronto Green Community, and Regional Council of the Central YMCA, Canada Gyorgy Markus, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Sydney, Australia Michael R Marrus, Professor of History, University of Toronto Mehrdad Mashayekhi, Visiting Professor of Sociology, Georgetown University Rudi Matthee, Professor of History, University of Delaware Elzbieta Matynia, Associate Professor of Sociology and Liberal Studies; Director of Transregional Center for Democratic Studies, New School for Social Research Robert W McChesney, Research Professor of Communications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Bill McKibben, Scholar in Residence, Middlebury College Eduardo Mendieta, Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Latin American & Caribbean Studies Center, Stony Brook University Sarianna Metso, Associate Professor of History and Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto Mihajlo Mihajlov, Vice President of the Democracy International, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro Farzaneh Milani, Director of Studies in Women and Gender; Professor of Persian Literature and Women Studies, University of Virginia James Miller, Professor of Political Science, New School for Social Research; Editor of Daedalus, American Academy of Arts & Sciences Charles Mills, Professor of Philosophy, University of Illinois-Chicago Kenneth Mills, Professor of History and Director of Latin American Studies at Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto Margaret A Mills, Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Ohio State University Nima Mina, Professor of Languages and Cultures of the Near and Middle East, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Yassaman Mirdamadi, Director of Testing Services, University of Arkansas Guive Mirfendereski, Lawyer and Independent Scholar Ali Mirsepassi, Interim Dean and Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Gallatin School of Individualized Study, New York University W JT Mitchell, Professor of English and Art History, University of Chicago, and Editor of *Critical Inquiry* JJ McMurtry, Lecturer, Business and Society Program, York University Minoo Moallem, Professor and Chair of Women Studies Department, San Francisco State University Fatemeh Moghadam, Professor of Economics, Hofstra University Valentine M. Moghadam, Unesco, Paris Hassan Mohammadi, Professor of Economics, Illinois State University at Normal Jawid Mojaddedi, Assistant Professor of Religion, Rutgers University Afshin Molavi, Author and Journalist Fereshteh Molavi, Yale University Library Mahmood Monshipouri, Professor of Political Science, Quinnipiac University Norma Claire Moruzzi, Associate Professor of Political Science and Gender and Women's Studies, University of Illinois Greg Moses, Independent Scholar, Austin, Texas Chantal Mouffe, Professor of Political Theory, Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster Cas Mudde, Senior Lecturer in Political Science, University of Antwerp Ahmad Kazemi Moussavi, Professor of Islamic Studies, International Islamic University of Malaysia Makau Mutua, Professor of Law and Director of Human Rights Center, State University of New York at Buffalo \* \* \* Negin Nabavi, Fellow at Middle East Center, University of Pennsylvania Steven Nadler, Professor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin-Madison Azar Nafisi, Director of the Dialogue Project, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University Afsaneh Najmabadi, Professor of History and of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, Harvard University Siamak Namazi, Editor, *Iran Strategic Focus* Ashis Nandy, Senior Fellow, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi Arash Naraghi, PhD Candidate in Religious Studies, University of California at Santa Barbara Mohamad Navab, Professor of Cardiology, University of California at Los Angeles Alexander Nehamas, Edmund N. Carpenter II Class of 1943 Professor in the Humanities, Princeton University Antonio Negri, Political Philosopher, *Collège International de Philosophie* and the Université Paris I Astrida Neimanis, PhD Candidate in Social and Political Thought, York University Mohammad-Reza Nikfar, Independent Scholar and Philosopher, Cologne, Germany Azam Niroomand-Rad, Professor and President of International Organization for Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center Mehdi Noorbaksh, Associate Professor of International Affairs, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Lida Nosrati, Graduate Student of Translation Studies, York University Martha Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago \* \* \* Claus Offe, Professor of Political Science, Humboldt University and Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Germany Douglas D Osheroff, Department of Physics, Stanford University Victor Ostapchuk, Associate Professor of Turkish and Ottoman Studies, University of Toronto \* \* \* George Packer, Staff Writer, *The New Yorker* Michael Palamarek, Instructor at the Department of Sociology, Brock University, Canada Orhan Pamuk, Novelist, Turkey Firoozeh Papan-Matin, Assistant Professor of Persian and Iranian Studies, University of Washington at Seattle Misagh Parsa, Professor of Sociology, Dartmouth College Trita Parsi, Johns Hopkins University-SAIS Anja Pistor-Hatam, Seminar fűr Orientalistik, Universität Kiel, Germany Jean Pedersen, Associate Professor of History, University of Rochester Rick Perlstein, Freelance writer, Chicago, Illinois John Perry, Professor of Persian, University of Chicago Christopher Phillips, Society for Philosophical Inquiry/Socrates Café Jon Pike, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Open University, UK Terry Pinkard, Professor of Philosophy, Georgetown University Jo-Ann Pilardi, Professor of Philosophy and Women's Studies and Director of Graduate Program in Women's Studies, Towson University Robert B. Pippin, Professor of Philosophy, University of Chicago Jaleh Pirnazar, Professor of Near Eastern Studies, University of California at Berkeley Katha Pollitt, Columnist for *The Nation* magazine John P Portelli, Professor at the Department of Theory & Policy Studies; Co-director of the Centre for Leadership & Diversity, OISE/University of Toronto Danny Postel, Senior Editor, **openDemocracy** Moishe Postone, Professor of History, University of Chicago Nina Power, Middlesex University, London Hilary Putnam, Cogan University Professor Emeritus, Harvard University \* \* \* Nasrin Qader, Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature, Northwestern University Sholeh Quinn, Associate Professor of History, Ohio University Emran Qureshi, Wertheim Fellow of Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School \* \* \* Sina Rahmani, Graduate Student, Department of Comparative Literature, University of California at Los Angeles Nasrin Rahimieh, Dean of Humanities and Professor of Comparative Literature and English, McMaster University, Canada Ahmed Rashid, Journalist and Author, Pakistan Ali Rahnema, Professor of Economics, American University of Paris Marcus Raskin, Co-founder and Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies Asghar Rastegar, Professor of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine Jonathan Rée, Visiting Professor of Philosophy, Roehampton University and the Royal College of Art, London James A Reilly, Professor of Middle Eastern History, University of Toronto Yann Richard, *Professeur d'ètudes iraniennes, Institut d'Etudes Iraniennes*, Sorbonne nouvelle Thomas M Ricks, Independent Scholar, Iranian Studies Andras Riedlmayer, Bibliographer in Islamic Art and Architecture, Aga Khan Program, Fine Arts Library, Harvard University; President, Turkish Studies Association Monica M Ringer, Professor of History and Asian Languages and Civilizations, Amherst College Dona Robati, Poet and Journalist, Shahrvand Publication, Toronto Bruce Robbins, Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University Trevor John Robertson, PhD Candidate in Social and Political Thought, York University Joel Rogers, Professor of Law, Political Science and Sociology, University of Wisconsin at Madison Richard Rorty, Professor Emeritus of Comparative Literature and Philosophy, Stanford University Herbert Roseman, Graduate student in Philosophy, Columbia University Jonathan Rosenbaum, Film Critic, *Chicago Reader* Jalil Roshandel, Visiting Professor of Political Science, Duke University Jamie P Ross, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Portland State University David Rothenberg, Professor of Philosophy, New Jersey Institute of Technology Matthew Rothschild, Editor, *The Progressive* Barnett R Rubin, Director of Studies and Senior Fellow, Center on International Cooperation, New York University Bruce Rutherford, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Colgate University \* \* \* Nader Sadeghi, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology/Surgery, George Washington University Shadi Sadr, Human Rights Lawyer, Tehran Farian Sabahi, Professor of Islamic Studies, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy Ahmad Sadri, Professor of Sociology, Lake Forest College Mahmoud Sadri, Professor of Sociology, Texas Woman's University Elli Safari, Film producer and director, The Netherlands Marshall Sahlins, Charles F Grey Distinguished Service Professor of Anthropology Emeritus, University of Chicago Karim Sadjadpour, Iran Analyst, International Crisis Group Niaz Salimi, President of Muslim Canadian Congress and Director of Centre for Thought, Dialogue and Human Rights in Iran Poupak Salimi, IT Consultant , Toronto, Canada Roger Savory, Professor Emeritus of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto David Sayer, PhD Candidate in Social and Political Thought, York University Mohsen Sazegara, Visiting Scholar, Yale University George Scialabba, Book Critic, *Boston Globe* Richard Schmitt, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Brown University Stephen Schlesinger, Director of World Policy Institute, New School University David Schweickart, Professor of Philosophy, Loyola University David Scott, Professor of Anthropology, Columbia University Richard Sennett, Professor of Sociology, London School of Economics Hamideh Sedghi, Associate Professor of Political Science, Villanova University Omid Payrow Shabani, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Guelph, Canada Adam Shatz, Literary Editor, *The Nation* Martin Shaw, Professor of International Relations and Politics, University of Sussex Hassan Shaygannik, Professor of International Political Economy, Florida Atlantic University M Rahim Shayegan, Musa Sabi Assistant Professor of Iranian, University of California at Los Angeles Thomas Sheehan, Professor of Religious Studies, Stanford University and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Loyola University Chicago Amir Soltani Sheikholeslami, Human Rights Activist, Blue Initiative Amir Sheikhzadegan, Lecturer and Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Zuich Scott Sherman, Contributing Writer, *The Nation* Faegheh Shirazi, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin Sussan Siavoshi, Professor of Political Science, Trinity University Stefano Silvestri, President of Institute for International Affairs, Italy Marta Simidchieva, Division of Humanities, York University, and the Department of Historical Studies, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Canada Margaret Simons, Professor of Philosophy, Southern Illinois University Peter Singer, Ira W DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, University Center for Human Values, Princeton University; Laureate Professor at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, University of Melbourne, Australia Peter Sloterdijk, Professor and Rektor, *Staatliche Hochschule fűr Gestaltung Karlsruhe* Monika Smetana, MA Graduate Candidate in Social and Political Thought, York University Jay Smith, PhD Candidate in Social and Political Thought, York University Naghmeh Sohrabi, Post-Doctoral Fellow in Middle Eastern Studies, Brandeis University Ebrahim Soltani, PhD Candidate in Political Science, Syracuse University Lucia Sommer, Artist and Writer, Visual and Cultural Studies at the University of Rochester Stanley Crossick, Chairman, Belmont Arian Starova, President of the Albanian Atlantic Association Ilan Stavans, Professor of Latin American and Latino Culture, Amherst College Karsten Struhl, Porofessor of Philosophy, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York Zohreh T Sullivan, Professor of English, Comparative and World Literature, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Adam Sutcliffe, Lecturer in Early Modern European History, King's College London \* \* \* **Also in openDemocracy:** Rasool Nafisi, "[The meaning of Ramin Jahanbegloo's arrest](https://www.opendemocracy.net/articles/View.jsp?id=3545)" (16 May 2006) Poopak Taati, PhD in Sociology and Journalist, American University Ara Tadevosyan, Director of Armenian Mediamax news agency Victoria Tahmasebi, PhD in Social and Political Thought, York University, Toronto Kamran Talattof, Associate Professor of Near Eastern Studies, University of Arizona Mohamad Tavakoli, Professor of History, University of Toronto; Editor-in-Chief, *Comparative Studies of South Asia, Middle East and Africa* Charles Taylor, Professor of Philosophy, McGill University, Montreal Abdulkader Tayob, Professor in Social Processes in Modern Islam, ISIM, Radboud University, Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Nijmegen, Netherlands Sherman Teichman, Director of Institute for Global Leadership, Tufts University Tzvetan Todorov, Director of Research at the *Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique* (CNRS), Paris Chris Toensing, Executive Director of Middle East Research and Information Project, Washington, DC Nayereh Tohidi, Visiting Associate Professor of Women's Studies and Keddie-Balzan Fellow, Center for Near Eastern Studies at University of California at Los Angeles Michael Tomasky, Editor, *The American Prospect* John Torpey, Professor of Sociology, City University of New York Graduate Center Alberto Toscano, Lecturer in Sociology, Goldsmiths College, University of London, New Cross Nhung Tuyet Tran, Assistant Professor of History, University of Toronto D Alissa Trotz, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Equity Studies, University of Toronto \* \* \* Sanam Vakil, Professor of Middle East Studies, Johns Hopkins University Mehrdad Valibeigi, Professorial lecturer of Economics, The American University Farzin Vahdat, Post-doctoral Associate, Middle East Council, Yale University Philippe Van Parijs, Professor of Economic and Social Ethics, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium and Visiting Professor of Philosophy, Harvard University Haleh Vaziri, Media & Public Researcher, Independent Scholar Dusan Velickovic, Editor and publisher, *Biblioteka Alexandria*, Serbia & Montenegro, Independent Publishing House, Alexandria Press Andrew Wachtel, Dean of The Graduate School; Bertha and Max Dressler Professor in the Humanities and Director of Center for International and Comparative Studies, Northwestern University Immanuel Wallerstein, Professor of Sociology, Yale University Michael Walzer, Professor of Social Science, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton Victoria Weafer, PhD Candidate in Philosophy, Columbia University Jeff Weintraub, Political Theorist, University of Pennsylvania Cornel West, University Professor of Religion, Princeton University Robert Westbrook, Professor of History, University of Rochester Melissa Williams, Director of Centre for Ethics and Professor of Political Science, University of Toronto Ellen Willis, Professor of Journalism, New York University Richard Wolin, Distinguished Professor of History, Comparative Literature and Political Science, Graduate Center, City University of New York \* \* \* Santiago Zabala, Researcher in Philosophy, Pontifical Lateran University of Rome Krzysztof Zanussi, Professor, Silesian University in Katowice; Film Director and President of "TOR" Film Studio, Warsaw Hassan Zerehi, Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of *Shahrvand* Linda Zerilli, Professor of Political Science, Northwestern University Howard Zinn, Author and Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Boston University Slavoj Zizek, Professor and Senior Researcher of Philosophy and Psychoanalysis, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia