Sara Faez

University of Kassel (UKS, Germany)

3 - Partnership in Knowledge Production

Prof. Dr. Aram Ziai

Poverty Reduction in Iran: Post-Islamic Development?

This study generally examines poverty alleviation programs in Iran and their religious and ideological roots, with the aim of gaining a proper understanding of the ideological contradictions within these programs in the context of post-development theory through an analysis of the content of six comprehensive development plans in Iran. Post-development is one of the major controversies in the wake of the “failure of development plans” (on which this research group largely agrees) in the academic world of social and political sciences as well as development studies. A gap in the existing literature on post-development is that most of these studies have been conducted in Latin America, Africa, and India, and no comprehensive research has yet taken place in Iran. Furthermore, post-development scholars generally focus on social movements and NGOs. According to these researchers, these movements play an important role in the fight against poverty, oppression, and discrimination in the countries of the “Global South.” In contrast to much of the existing literature, this study examines the relationship between Islamic teachings and poverty alleviation programs to determine whether poverty alleviation programs in Iran—which are largely inspired by Islamic concepts and ideas —at least at the level of the goals outlined in the six comprehensive development plans—were successful examples of poverty reduction or not, and to what extent these programs align with post-development theory.

Poverty in Iran takes various forms: from homelessness and child labor to rummaging through trash bins and sleeping in cemeteries (Goor-Khabi). Iran is a religious society, and many of the laws and regulations underpinning poverty alleviation programs are based on Islamic and Shiite concepts. In addition, several organizations and institutions have been established in this context, the most well-known of which is the Relief Foundation (Emdad Committee). These organizations are directly responsible for poverty alleviation in Iran and were founded in the years following the Islamic Revolution. Despite the numerous plans to combat poverty in Iran, according to previous studies, a portion of the population in some regions of the country continues to live below the extreme poverty line. On the other hand, the development programs pursued before and after the Revolution are generally imported and have not been entirely successful. The adoption of idealistic and normative perspectives on the issue of poverty in Iran has turned this topic into a complex and multidimensional problem requiring extensive research and studies. Although most research in this field unfortunately focuses on the economic dimensions of poverty (including the definition of the poverty line) as well as the social and political consequences of poverty, the connection between this issue and the religious and ideological foundations of poverty alleviation in the context of Iran’s Islamic society—a topic that has received less research attention to date—must be examined more closely. In this regard, the present study differs from other studies conducted and can shed light on poverty alleviation programs in Iran by highlighting the various dimensions of these programs and pointing out their shortcomings and deficiencies. The study employs a qualitative method for analysis and data collection.

• Dec. 2020–present: Ph.D. candidate in Political Science, Faculty of Development and Postcolonial Studies, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
• Oct. 2015–Sept. 2018: M.A. in Social Sciences (Social Planning), University of Tehran (UT), Tehran, Iran
  Thesis title: The Challenges of the Social Protection System in Iran (with a focus on the relationship between government organizations and NGOs).
• Sept. 2010–July 2014: B.A. in Social Sciences (Sociology), University of Tehran (UT), Tehran, Iran

• May 2016–2018: Social Worker: Imam Ali’s Popular Students Relief Society [IAPSRS] (Association of Students Against Poverty), Tehran (Iran)
• April 2016–December 2018: English teacher, Safir Branch Institute, Tehran (Iran)
  Part-time English teacher for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels
• July 2016–August 2016: Census enumerator, Statistical Center of Iran, Ministry of the Interior, Tehran (Iran)
• October 2012–September 2014: Student Assistant: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran
• May 2013–September 2013: Research Assistant and Questionnaire Administrator, Tehran City Administration, Tehran (Iran)

• Research Associate at the Global Partnership Network (GPN) at the University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
• Associate Member of the Iranian Sociological Association (ISA) in the following Research Groups: Research Group on the Sociology of Poverty, Social Welfare, and Social Policy

• DAAD Scholarships, Research Grants, and Doctoral Programs in Germany 2021–2022
• DAAD Scholarship, Research Grant, Doctoral Programs in Germany 2020–2021
• DAAD scholarship for the third NAREM Summer School “Renewable Energy and Development” (August 2017)
• Award for exceptional talent [Este'dad-ha-ye Derakhshan] during my bachelor’s studies at the University of Tehran (2010) based on my ranking in the university entrance exam (260th place among all participants)