Education, dissent, and voter apathy in Iran and Saudi Arabia

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Campus where you would like to present

Ellensburg

Event Website

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source

Start Date

18-5-2020

Abstract

Saudi Arabia and Iran are two regional powers that excessively limit their population's access to information and place dominant controls over their educational sectors, with religion and obedience being the prime focus of discourse. The control over information has been conducted through K-12 school systems. As a result of the control over information, it has led to an environment of political apathy. The political apathy is helping the states maintain their authoritarian control over the people. Moreover, dissent is not welcomed or tolerated in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Dissidents in both states have faced harsh consequences. Exiles and persecutions are a common punishment for dissidents. Because of the brutal crackdowns on dissent, political socialization has been suffered. In both countries, the state claims one truth and that is absolute. Hence, the claimed truth is propagandized through education systems. In recent cases, both countries have illustrated their ruthlessness in dealing with dissidents. In Saudi Arabia’s case, the killing of a dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, proved that the state does not tolerate dissent from its citizens. Although Khashoggi was living in exile, the Saudi government targeted him and executed him. Similarly in Iran, the recent uprisings that were triggered by an increase in fuel prices, was an example of the state’s intolerance towards dissent. The indiscriminate killing of protestors in Iran was an extent that the government was willing to go to, in order to discourage dissent. In both states, the country’s dominant control on information coupled with harsh responses to citizens who challenge the status quo, have heightened political apathy.

Faculty Mentor(s)

Salam Awad

Department/Program

Political Science

Additional Mentoring Department

https://cwu.studentopportunitycenter.com/2020/04/education-dissent-and-voter-apathy-in-iran-and-saudi-arabia/

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May 18th, 12:00 PM

Education, dissent, and voter apathy in Iran and Saudi Arabia

Ellensburg

Saudi Arabia and Iran are two regional powers that excessively limit their population's access to information and place dominant controls over their educational sectors, with religion and obedience being the prime focus of discourse. The control over information has been conducted through K-12 school systems. As a result of the control over information, it has led to an environment of political apathy. The political apathy is helping the states maintain their authoritarian control over the people. Moreover, dissent is not welcomed or tolerated in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Dissidents in both states have faced harsh consequences. Exiles and persecutions are a common punishment for dissidents. Because of the brutal crackdowns on dissent, political socialization has been suffered. In both countries, the state claims one truth and that is absolute. Hence, the claimed truth is propagandized through education systems. In recent cases, both countries have illustrated their ruthlessness in dealing with dissidents. In Saudi Arabia’s case, the killing of a dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, proved that the state does not tolerate dissent from its citizens. Although Khashoggi was living in exile, the Saudi government targeted him and executed him. Similarly in Iran, the recent uprisings that were triggered by an increase in fuel prices, was an example of the state’s intolerance towards dissent. The indiscriminate killing of protestors in Iran was an extent that the government was willing to go to, in order to discourage dissent. In both states, the country’s dominant control on information coupled with harsh responses to citizens who challenge the status quo, have heightened political apathy.

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2020/COTS/99