The combination of sanctions and the threat of war undermines the space for Iranian civil society to press its claim for rights and freedoms. The resumption of negotiations over the nuclear issues is an opportunity for western states to choose a better course, say Ramin Jahanbegloo & RN Khatami.
The Dalai Lama's impending retirement symbolises an important transition in the life of Tibet's political-national community. The process underway clarifies both the nature of Tibetan governance and the challenges it must address in face of China's power, says Ramin Jahanbegloo.
The democratic wave sweeping the Arab world, and shared by Iran, opens a new agenda for the civic activists who helped make it possible, says Ramin Jahanbegloo.
The change that is unfolding across the middle east places an especial responsibility on intellectuals to think civically and engage ethically, says Ramin Jahanbegloo.
"Holding an Olympic Games means evoking history", affirmed Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic games. The Olympic games scheduled for Beijing on 8-24 August 2008certainly
Mahatma Gandhi is widely recognised as one of the most original and influential political thinkers and activists of the 20th century, yet he remains an elusive figure. He never wrote
"We distinguish the excellent man from the common man", wrote the Spanish philosopher Ortega Y Gasset, "by saying that the former is the one who makes great
Dear Richard,
For some years, I have been asking myself why in my country, Iran, America is considered a land of hope and success. Your recent trip to Iran gave
In the last days of 2005, leading thinkers and scholars from around the world share their fears, hopes and expectations of 2006. Forty-nine of openDemocracy’s distinguished contributors, from Mariano Aguirre to Slavoj Zizek, Neal Ascherson to Jonathan Zittrain – offer their predictions for the com
* Bahram Rajaee
* Hamid Zangeneh
* Ramin Jahanbegloo
* Abbas Milani
* Nader Entessar
* Roshanak Ameli-Tehrani
Bahram Rajaee
Uncharted waters
The election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the second round of Irans presidential contest
