In Santa Monica, California, a foundation is active whose name has been posed alongside with projects related to Iran, the American universities and movements which are against the Islamic Republic during current years:
“Taslimi foundation”
The investigation of the relationships of this foundation creates important questions about the role of the financial institutions related or close to identity communities in forming intellectual and political movements. Some documents concerning financial support of Taslimi foundation of some projects related to the Iranian studies in Stanford university and other intellectual activities have been published which show that this foundation is not merely a charity one which is active in the domain of producing discourse about Iran.
However, the main question on is: which structure is being supported financially?
The first note is the position of Taslimi foundation in the structure of the Baha’i community. This foundation is of the Baha’i institutions which has been inspired by the Baha’i teachings; a concept which is not merely a simple title in the Baha’i structure. Contrary to religious traditions, Bahaism possesses a universal administrative and concentrated system and the principle of “covenant” is one of the important means for preserving its organizational integrity.
Consequently, the question is that: Can such institutes merely be considered as quite separated collection of the Baha’i organizational atmosphere? Or should they be analyzed in extensive framework of social, cultural and identity net of Bahaism?
If the Baha’i community is always stressing on “the lack of meddling with policy”, the financial support of projects which have been active in the study of Iran and political medium and discourse will be needed to be investigated more exactly. The difference among cultural, academic and political influence is the main issue of the discussion in such cases.
On the other side of the adventure, there is the Iranian studies plan in Stanford university managed by Abbas Milani. A project which has been changed into one of the known centers for producing intellectual narrations about Iran. Supporting such projects financially by foundations like Taslimi creates question like: How can the private financial resources be changed into symbolic capital and social credit from the university course?
In this field, the names of some medium activists who are against the Islamic Republic can also be seen; the ones who are active against the Islamic Republic using strong political literature and exploits this academic and medium atmosphere.
The final question is: What is the similarity between the movements have quite different records and backgrounds? From ex-leftists and political-ethnic groups to secular activists, academics and the Baha’i community; the groups which are seriously different intellectually, but they are similar in some issues related to Iran. The answer to this question should be searched in investigating the communicative nets, the communicative nets, financial resources, common interests and discourse producing mechanism; because in the contemporary policy, the ideological similarity doesn’t create coalition Sometimes, having the same aim or action field put different groups next to each other.
Source: Fergheh News
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