Reza Afshari and Cultural Relativism

Reza Afshari's book, Human Rights in Iran: The Abuse of Cultural Relativism, underlined the need to find a balance between conflicting pressures of cultural diversity and universal human rights. The latest manifestation of this familiar debate over cultural relativism is exemplified by Iran and its recent unrests. The debate about who controls power and culture continues to be relevant to current developments not just in Iran but throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Advocating a secular conception of relations between religion and the state, Afshari examined the ways in which Iran's ruling elites had manipulated cultural relativism.