Objective: This study aims to analyze the status of the public
sphere in the Iranian Constitution by comparing two distinct historical
periods in contemporary Iran: the Pahlavi era as an example
of an authoritarian modern state and the Islamic Republic period as
a model of a religious-republican state.
Research Method: The present study is qualitative and, methodologically,
is based on thematic analysis and thematic network
analysis.
Findings: The findings indicate that although the Constitution of
the Constitutional Revolution contained progressive principles
such as freedom of the press, government accountability, parliamentary
oversight, and the establishment of associations, in practice
it failed to provide the conditions necessary for the emergence
of an active public sphere. During the Pahlavi period, the concentration
of power within the monarchy, electoral control, media
monopolization, and the absence of intermediary institutions restricted
the possibility of free communicative action and critical
participation, reducing the public sphere to a formal, performative,
and state-controlled level. By contrast, despite its adherence to religious
frameworks and security considerations, the Constitution
of the Islamic Republic of Iran has, in theoretical terms, created
broader capacities for social participation and the production of
public dialogue. The expansion of elective and participatory institutions,
the development of public media, the emergence of diverse
political currents, and the increasing role of universities and social
networks have created opportunities for the relative expression of
communicative action and civic demand.
Conclusion: Accordingly, the transition from the authoritarian
modern state of the Pahlavis to the religious state of the Islamic
Republic did not eliminate all the limitations affecting the public
sphere; nevertheless, it has, overall, resulted in a theoretical transformation
and an increase in the dialogical and participatory capacities
of Iranian society.