This article explores one of the reasons which have prevented the civil society to be grown in contemporary Iran. Since every society has specific history and mutations, in this research, historical sociology approach is used. This approach, explored by many sociologists such as Max Weber, is...

One decade after the Arab uprisings of 2010/11, the present discussion paper revisits processes of political change in the Middle East and North Africa MENA) with a focus on the question of systemic change. Core questions in this context are: How, among all possible varieties of political...

Civil society organisations (CSOs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) face mounting challenges, especially in authoritarian states, where they encounter closures, persecution and smear campaigns. Consequently, their crucial work in advancing human rights, good governance and inclusive...