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Mehdi Semati is a professor at Northern Illinois University. His research addresses Iranian media and popular culture. His books include Media, Culture and Society in Iran: Living with Globalization and the Islamic State (Routledge, 2008).
Communication, Media, and Popular Culture in Post-revolutionary Iran
In the news media and the prevailing political discourse, Iran is often portrayed as a closed society. Characterizations of Iran as a theocratic state, fundamentalist society, and a rogue nation depict Iran as an “Islamic” totalitarian state devoid of any freedom and trappings of “civil society.” At the same time, cinéphiles the world over applaud the work of Iranian filmmakers. One can cite numerous other examples of robust cultural activities in Iran.
