Conversation
Intellectuals and Anti-Liberalism; A Conversation with Morteza Mardiha
This conversation critiques anti-liberalism among a segment of Iranian intellectuals. In conversation with Mehdi Tadayoni, Morteza Mardiha discusses the relationship between intellectualism, freedom, politics, and common misunderstandings of liberalism.
About this video
In this video, Morteza Mardiha, in conversation with Mehdi Tadayoni, addresses the issue of anti-liberalism in the intellectual sphere. The focus of the discussion is why a segment of intellectuals, particularly in the Iranian context, have been at odds with liberalism and concepts such as individual freedom, the market, tolerance, and the limitation of political power.
The conversation can be viewed from the perspective of the history of political thought and the critique of intellectualism; where liberalism is understood not just as a political theory, but as a tradition for defending freedom, individual rights, and curbing state power. In contrast, anti-liberalism has sometimes been linked to ideals of justice-seeking, opposition to capitalism, fascination with grand ideologies, or a misunderstanding of freedom.
The importance of this program lies in its questioning of the relationship of Iranian intellectualism with freedom and democracy. This conversation is suitable for audiences interested in political philosophy, intellectual history, liberalism, democracy, and the critique of ideology.
