Hamid and Christina Moghadam Program in Iranian Studies

The Hamid and Christina Moghadam Program in Iranian Studies at Stanford University is part of the Stanford Global Studies Division (SGS), the largest international teaching and research division on campus. They are both part of Stanford University’s School of Humanities and Sciences. Established in 2004 and endowed in 2006, the primary focus of the program is the interdisciplinary study of modern Iranian society, culture, politics and economy.

With generous support from the Bita Daryabari Endowment for Persian Studies, the program sponsors many events on campus to educate the public on Iran and to encourage interaction among scholars. Stanford Global Studies now offers a minor with a specialization in Iranian Studies. The program organizes conferences, workshops, discussion panels, an extensive lecture series, and also actively supports the Persian Student Association on campus to promote public talks and cultural events with community members, scholars and artists of Iran.

Iran as a civilization is one of the oldest in the world. Modern Iran has been a pivotal force in shaping the crucial region of the Middle East. It is increasingly important for scholars, policy analysts, and decision-makers in every field to understand the intricacies of modern Iranian society, and the interplay between economics, religions, ideologies, and political cultures that together shape Iran’s character and behavior. Stanford University, with its tradition of dedication to scholarly and academic excellence, its rich variety of other international and area studies programs, and its responsibility for training some of the world’s key decision-makers, is an ideal place for a program dedicated to modern Iran.