Professor imprisoned in Iran to speak on academic freedom

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This article was published 22/01/2018 (2980 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Canadian professor jailed in Iran on charges of “dabbling in feminism and security matters” will speak about academic freedom and critical thinking this week at the University of Manitoba. 

Prof. Homa Hoodfar endured 112 days of psychological torture in Iran’s notorious Evin prison before being released in September 2016.

The Canadian-Iranian sociocultural anthropologist and professor emerita of anthropology at Concordia University in Montreal was in Iran at the time for mainly personal reasons but also for academic research. Much of her work has focused on women’s roles in public life in Muslim societies, especially how religious symbols have been interpreted and used to support and repress the status of women.

An Iranian state prosecutor told reporters in Iran that Hoodfar was charged with “dabbling in feminism and security matters.” Hoodfar was told she could spend 15 years in prison and might not get out alive. She was released after the Canadian government enlisted the help of Oman. 

At the U of M’s University College this Thursday at 2:30 p.m., Hoodfar will talk about her experience and the importance of academic freedom and critical thinking for the wellbeing of democracy. Her talk is free and being presented by the anthropology department at the U of M.

For more information, see umanitoba.ca/anthropology