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Unequal distribution of information in Iran (A review on free access to information from Cultural Studies point of view)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant professor in Cultural Studies department, Social Sciences faculty. Allameh Tabataba'i University. Tehran. Iran

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate culture as an empowering and limiting factor in public access to information in Iran; this is an issue that the international community is concerned about, with regard to citizen participation and governments’ accountability in the political, social, economic, and other areas. Freedom of Information and free access to it, is perceived in many countries as a political and civil right, and one of its immediate outcomes is the formation of participatory and consultative democracy, as free access to information allows citizens to intervene in public affairs and this requires the government to be accountable. In addition, the empowerment of citizens, especially marginalized groups, or in other words, silent groups such as the poor, the illiterate, and even in some cases women, who due to inequalities that arising from power relations between social groups, have unequal access, is another reason that highlights the need for free access to information. The experience of different countries shows that with freedom of Information, a context has been provided for the mentioned groups to improve the level of health, education, hygiene, income, and even protection of human rights. In this study, in addition to reviewing the theoretical literature and research background in this field, by addressing the need for public access to information, we have provided an overview of the current situation in Iran. Therefore, our question in this article is which cultural factors and barriers affect citizens' access to the information?

Keywords

References
 
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Cultural Studies & Communication
Volume 17, Issue 65
January 2022
Pages 223-254
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