"We, a group of students in the humanities and social sciences in southern California, hereby declare our support for the hard work carried out and services rendered by the Samuel Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture at the University of California, Irvine. To our dismay, a number of unknown individuals have recently disseminated information concerning the Center which is not only incorrect but actively hostile to it, in that it impugns the Center's intellectual and political independence and impartiality. As far as we are concerned, this information has no basis whatever in reality.

We are of the belief that in the three and a half years of its activity to date this academic institution has always observed the principle of scholarly impartiality and has been an arena for constructive debate and dialogue between different viewpoints concerning diverse issues and fields pertaining to Iranian culture. We attest to the fact that from the commencement of its activities until the present time, the Center has consistently worked to strengthen scientific research and scholarship concerning the history, culture and society of Iran, as well as reinforcing links between Iranians resident in southern California and improving the level of public knowledge in these domains.

We, students from different disciplines engaged in research relating to the culture and history of Iran, are certain that threats and intimidation emanating from these ill-intentioned individuals will not damage the scholarly and pedagogical activities of the Center. Study and learning are founded on dialogue, and dialogue is likewise the principal condition of any kind of progress and development in culture. Iranian society must once and for all relinquish the practice of treating as invalid the opinion of anyone who thinks differently from us. Let us learn together that all kinds of intimidation, slander, defamation and lies are obstacles to the continuation of dialogue, and condemn these practices as unhealthy and unethical.

Finally we wish to thank once more the professors, staff, and founders of the Center, in particular the director, Dr. Nasrin Rahimieh, for the beneficial, generous, and welcoming character of their work at this institution.

 

Signed:

Philip Grant, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Irvine
Peyman Malaz, Ph.D. Student, Department of International Relation & Islamic Studies, University of California, LA
Haleh Emrani, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of History, University of California, LA
Ameneh Shervin Emami, Graduate Student, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, University of California, LA
M. Shadee Malaklou, PhD student in Culture and Theory (Humanities), University of California, Irvine
Negar Sammaknejad, PhD student, Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California- Irvine
Roja Bandari, PhD Student, Electrical Engineering, University of California Los Angeles
Esha Momeni, Graduate Student, Department of Journalism, CSU Northridge
Khodadad Rezakhani, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of History, University of California Los Angeles
Mateo M. Farzaneh, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of History & the Center for Middle East Studies, University of California-Santa Barbara
Awad Awad, Ph.D. Candidate, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, University of California, LA
Ehsan Zahedani, B.A. Student, Political Science and Iranian Studies, University of California, LA
Farahdokht Barghi, Undergraduate, University of California, Irvine
Sharareh Frouzesh-Bennett, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Comparative Literature, University of California, Irvine
Sina Rahmani, Graduate Student, Department of Comparative Literature,UCLA
Mohammad Rafi, Recent M.A. Graduate, Department of German, University of California, Los Angeles

... Payvand News - 01/22/10 ... --

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