Educational strategy selection of religious minorities in modern Iran: The case of the Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i communities

Based on the concept of education as a universal right, this dissertation analyzes the impact of government repression on the access to and quality of educational opportunities of minority groups, and the strategies used by marginalized and discriminated groups in response to educational inequity under authoritarian regimes. Do minority groups accept, tolerate, resist, or reject the limitations imposed on them? Do they establish their own institutions and services, or leave the country in pursuit of educational opportunity? This dissertation describes and illustrates the situation of three groups: Jews, Christians, and Baha'is, living in modem Iran. I argue that group composition and characteristics, networks, and regime-group relations significantly shape the strategies developed, selected, and deployed by minority groups in meeting educational needs. Relational dynamics between the groups (and their internal communities) and the regime, and other transnational actors are critical motivating factors in the pursuit of educational opportunities. I draw on historical analysis and the mechanism-process approach to identify educational strategies and explain how they are selected, and argue that group features both affect educational strategy selection, and are affected by previous strategies. The relational dynamics of interactions, conditions, processes, and outcomes are considered as causal factors in educational strategy selection. Indexing (document details) Advisor: Steiner-Khamsi, Gita School: Columbia University School Location: United States -- New York Keyword(s): Religious minorities, Iran, Jewish, Christian, Baha'i Source: DAI-A 71/09, Mar 2011 Source type: Dissertation Subjects: Religion, Educational sociology, Political science