Document Type : Research Paper
Author
University of Tehran
Abstract
One of the main actions of American Christian missionaries in Iran during the Qajar period was the establishment of schools with a new educational style in various parts of the country. Until the Pahlavi era, the activities of these schools were somewhat aligned with or cooperated with the government. However, With the ascent of Reza Shah, the government initiated a process to enhance its supervision and control over the educational system throughout Iran. This led to a gradual expansion of its oversight of educational institutions within the country. Various laws were enacted and implemented that gradually tightened the space for these schools. Schools that did not accept the new regulations were easily closed down. However, these measures alone did not seem sufficient to ensure that American schools operated within the framework of the new laws. The present research aims to answer the question, through archival documents and a descriptive-analytical approach, of how the changes in the educational system during the early Pahlavi period affected the activities of American missionary schools. This study argues that despite some resistance, most American missionary schools tried to adapt to the new order to avoid serious problems with their operations. However, In the concluding years of the first Pahlavi era, the organization was compelled to terminate its activities by liquidating all its assets to the government. This action was a direct consequence of the centralized educational policies instituted by the Ministry of Culture. It appears that the government's supervision of American missionary schools was less influenced by the fluctuations of political relations. This research seeks to investigate the hypothesis that the Ministry of Education and Culture, through the development and implementation of centralized educational programs, imposed restrictions that ultimately diminished the activities of American missionary schools, in accordance with the strategic objectives of the nation-state.
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