From Idealist to Intermediary Intellectuals

In the last decade a sea of change has occurred in Iran regarding the number and mindset of intellectuals. New categories of intellectuals have emerged and gender as well as professional fields have become paramount. The “high brow” intellectuals who were the hallmark of Iran have given way to “modest intellectuals,” termed in this essay “intermediary intellectuals.” They operate as “intermediaries” between different sections of the civil society, without necessarily embracing a holistic image of the society. Among them, “netizens” (network activists), self-proclaimed journalists, human rights activists, and other new groups have radically changed the intellectual field and its social actors in Iran. This is happening in other middle eastern societies as well, but in Iran, due to its high number of students, the theocratic nature of the political system, and its specific history, intermediary intellectuals play a significant role in the political and cultural spheres.