Analysis of the Role of Science and Technology in Iran’s Dignity-Oriented Governance in the Second Phase of the Revolution (With Emphasis on Critique of the Hegemonic System and the Elaboration of an Indigenous Model in Ayatollah Khamenei’s Thought)

The rapid developments in science and technology in the contemporary world, while creating unprecedented opportunities for human progress, have frequently served as instruments for the perpetuation of structural inequality and hegemonic domination within the international system. The governance frameworks of science and technology in the Western world—particularly concerning the management of knowledge production—have largely prioritized the consolidation of power for dominant actors in the global arena, thereby detaching science from its foundational goals of advancing justice, spirituality, and the real needs of humanity.

In stark contrast to this paradigm, the Islamic Republic of Iran, drawing on the philosophical and cultural foundations of Islamic-Iranian civilization and adopting a critical stance toward the prevailing hegemonic logic of Western science, seeks to establish an indigenous, self-reliant, and dignity-oriented model of science and technology governance. This research, employing Spragens’ theoretical framework, examines the evolution of Ayatollah Khamenei’s strategic views on the relationship between science, technology, and governance. By analyzing his perspectives through the four stages of Spragens’ framework—problem diagnosis, causal analysis, solution design, and policy prescription—the findings highlight Ayatollah Khamenei’s diagnosis of scientific dependency and knowledge asymmetry as crises rooted in the dominance of global knowledge regimes and the erosion of national scientific autonomy.

The study emphasizes Khamenei’s proposed solution: the cultivation of “beneficial science,” the training of committed and innovative human resources, the structural development of scientific self-sufficiency, and the empowerment of science with ethical and justice-oriented dimensions. This approach seeks to establish an independent and resilient system of science and technology governance, aligned with the strategic needs of Iran.