“In the name of God” You know that the University of Tehran was established in 1313 (during the time of Reza Shah) and immediately after students and professors entered through one door, politics also came to the university through another door. Some professors and students raised political issues such as freedom and tyranny in universities. […]...

One of the characteristics of humans is the ability to think abstractly and use symbolism. Humans encode and mark their thoughts into a framework of verbal, visual, and auditory symbols and use these symbols and signs to convey their intended concepts. A “symbol” or “icon” within the framework of an object or image, and sometimes […]...

In recent years, research has shown that the Chinese government is trying to have complete control over society through big data collected from the internet. This authoritarian government uses this control to maintain its existing dictatorship in all aspects of citizens’ lives. The purpose of this control is not just suppression; rather, big data informs […]...

Photos, especially those taken during historical events, are one of the best storytellers in their silence. From February 1, 1979, and the arrival of Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran, dozens, if not hundreds, of photos have been captured. The diversity and variety of the attendees, both politically and in terms of lifestyle, can be seen with […]...

“Censorship” is the nightmare of every artist, writer, and thinker. This nightmare is present in the realm of “literature” and is a subject of conflict between Iranian writers and it, which is the topic of this writing. In our country, censorship, deletion, and distortion of the works of artists and intellectuals have been systematically and […]...

Travel and generally moving from one place to another has been a part of human behavior since ancient times, and it can be said that the right to freedom of movement is considered one of the natural, primary, and fundamental rights of human beings. Although with the formation of nation-states within the framework of modern […]...

Does emerging technology strengthen individual freedoms or make authoritarian governments more capable of controlling and monitoring citizens? In response to this issue, there has always been a simple analytical framework: on one hand, information technology, with the emergence of the internet and later social networks, facilitates and accelerates the free flow of information and increases […]...

The real world is not like a movie or a novel. In the real world, there are no spies with small devices taking pictures from behind tall walls, and no “big brother” watching inside our homes, lest someone have secret notes. At least our imagination is that we have not yet reached that point. But […]...

With the advancement of technology and increase in global communication, the sanctity of privacy and the shield of anonymity are facing unprecedented challenges. This struggle is nowhere more evident than in countries where government surveillance casts a shadow over everything. Iran, with the use of a powerful surveillance apparatus, appears as a focal point for […]...

1- In 43, I was six years old when they took me to Savak Qom to visit my father who was in temporary detention at the branch of this organization on Station Street in Qom. They had taken him there to punish and intimidate him because he had been selling and distributing the banned book […]...

The chain of deliberate and unintentional events in the government of Ebrahim Raisi has led to the satisfaction of the internet in Iran reaching its lowest level. The 34% increase in internet prices was the final link in this chain that brought us to this point. But why have governing institutions, especially the government, raised […]...

The dismissive and belittling approach towards independent intellectuals was not limited to the post-revolution and the rule of the Islamic Republic, but even before the revolution, independent intellectuals were also subjected to ridicule and threats from the ruling government. The approach of negating intellectualism has not only been promoted and justified by the government, but […]...