NEOLIBERALISM AND HIGHER EDUCATION IN IRAN: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Present research aims to explore the effects of Neoliberalism on higher education based on the Henry Giroux's artistic view points and to examine the process of commercialization and privatization of higher education in Iran, from the same perspective. Giroux considers market-oriented reforms in higher education as a part of the hegemony of Neoliberalism, which seeks to realize the competitive homo economicus, as the ideal man, through using the new techniques of governmentality. Today market-oriented reforms in higher education are prevalent throughout the world. But what is currently in progress as privatization and commercialization in the higher education of Iran is a pale copy of Neoliberalism’s logic which is to justify the profit-oriented view of the knowledge and university. Market-oriented reforms of this type are not compatible with Islamic educational goals and will do much harm to Iranian higher education and will have negative impacts on Iranian universities. Keywords: neoliberalism, Henry Giroux, higher education, Iran.