This course links the principle of separation of religion and state to the development of liberal democracy and the protection of human rights. The course explores the history and theories of religious freedom while promoting respect for religious difference in Iran and globally; it also explores the relationship between religion and the state, both historical and contemporary, in Western democracies, India, the Islamic world, and Iran specifically. The curriculum examines international standards and laws for religious freedom, raises awareness of the importance of the separation of religion and state as a vital component of democratic life, and promotes knowledge and respect for the rights of Iranian religious minorities such as Baha’is who suffer persecution. The course is taught by Professor Mohammad Reza Nikfar, who is among Iran’s most esteemed political scientists and an expert on the history of political thought and the intersection of the Western canon with Iranian intellectual history.
