This article is dedicated to Hoda Saber, a concerned activist and researcher who dedicated her life to raising awareness and being actively involved in social and political arenas.

Not long ago, in a southern city of the country, after the execution of the murderer of a doctor in Yasuj, a phenomenon occurred that was shocking from a social, cultural, and political perspective. Pictures of the murderer as a “hero” were installed throughout the city, and his funeral was held with a wider and more numerous presence than the funeral of the murdered doctor. This event was not simply an isolated event or an emotional coincidence, but rather a profound sign of the crises accumulated in different layers of Iranian society; a crisis in which violence, prejudice, lack of public awareness, and the weakness of social intermediary institutions reproduce each other in a synergistic way. This phenomenon can be analyzed from several angles: from the role of governance structures and penal policies to the historical roots of ethnic and tribal prejudices. However, the focus of this article is on the role of civil society and civil institutions in the formation, intensification, or possibility of containing such crises. Emphasizing civil society does not mean ignoring or downplaying the role of the state or traditional structures, but rather an attempt to highlight a link that is often overlooked in analysis: collective action to change these traditions.

Civil society is defined as the space between the state and the private sector, where collective actors, voluntary institutions, and social networks independent of the state are formed. In Iran, there are different understandings of civil society. Some reduce it to charity and relief activities, while others equate civil society with political parties. However, civil society is a broader concept and includes a range of institutions, networks, actors, and various forms of collective action that aim to increase public awareness, strengthen social capital, and create sustainable changes at the social and political levels.

Social crises and the contexts in which they arise

A: The roots and causes of the crisis

Phenomena such as the heroization of a murderer cannot be reduced to emotional reactions or ethnic prejudices. They are the product of the interaction of several structural, cultural and political factors. The first factor is the spread and normalization of violence in society. When violence is systematically reproduced in penal policies, the media and even official discourses, it gradually becomes part of people’s everyday life. The execution, as the most naked form of state violence, not only does not provide a lasting deterrent, but in many cases legitimizes a cycle of violence. Comparative research at the global level has shown that the death penalty has no significant effect on reducing crime rates and can even lead to an increase in symbolic and real violence in society. The second factor is ethnic, tribal, religious and local prejudices; prejudices that often have their roots in uneven development, historical marginalization and the lack of inclusive cultural policies. In the absence of citizenship education, intercultural dialogue, and active civil society institutions, these prejudices quickly become active in crisis situations, marginalizing collective rationality. The third factor is the weakness of intermediary and mediating institutions, institutions that can bridge the gap between the individual, society, and the state. In situations where civil society is weak or suppressed, crises either spill directly onto the streets or manifest themselves in the form of emotional and irrational reactions.

B: The role and solutions of civil society organizations

The main question is what role can civil society institutions play and how can they be effective in reducing or preventing social crises?

1- A detailed and multi-layered understanding of the problem

Social crises are not simple, single-cause phenomena. Civil society organizations must use field research, sociological analysis, and dialogue with local actors to develop a comprehensive and accurate understanding of each crisis. This requires simultaneous attention to macrostructures and local details.

2- Awareness and presence in the field

Merely producing academic knowledge without a connection to social reality is not enough. The experience of activists like Hoda Saber, whom I mentioned at the beginning of the text, shows that direct presence in the field, dialogue with the groups involved, and firsthand experience of social issues play a fundamental role in change. This presence both enriches research and creates social trust.

3- Denial of violence and human rights activism

One of the fundamental tasks of civil society is to criticize and reject violence in all its forms, whether individual or institutional. Activism against the death penalty, demanding changes in penal policies, and linking with human rights movements can help undermine the legitimacy of violence and strengthen a pro-life discourse.

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Sustainable changes in society and government are not possible without strengthening independent, informed, and demanding civil institutions. Civil society is a necessary complement to increasing social power and solidarity. This article has attempted to address the roots of some social crises and the role of civil society in confronting them by focusing on an objective example. Obviously, this text is neither comprehensive nor claims to be the final answer, but rather an invitation to critique, dialogue, and collective reflection.