Mehdi Noorbakhsh
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| Born | Mehdi Noorbakhsh-Dehkordi[1] 1954 (age 69–70)
Iran
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| Nationality | Iranian |
| Spouse | Sarah Noorbakhsh (née Yazdi) |
| Relatives | Ebrahim Yazdi (father-in-law) |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater |
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| Thesis | From Opposition to Revolution: The Dynamics of Change in Iran and Afghanistan (1996) |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | International relations |
| School or tradition | Religious intellectualism |
| Institutions |
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Mehdi Noorbakhsh (Persian: مهدی نوربخش) is an Iranian academic and political activist affiliated with the Freedom Movement of Iran.[2]
He is a professor of international affairs & business at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology,[2] having previously taught at the Center for International Studies at the University of St. Thomas in Houston[3] and worked at Harvard University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies as a postdoctoral fellow. Noorbakhsh is vice president of World Affairs Councils of America's chapter in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
He is not able to return to Iran for his political activities, as well as public comments.[4]
Noorbakhsh was born in Iran and immigrated to the United States sometime in the 1970s.[4] He is married to Sarah, a physician and daughter of Ebrahim Yazdi.[5] He obtained a government and international affairs PhD from University of Texas at Austin in 1996.[1]
AThe Patriot-News editorial published in 2010 described him as "Muslim moderate".[5] Noorbakhsh assumes that by seeking rationality within Islam, it can be practiced as a "progressive" faith,[6] while a religious regime of despotic nature would exploit individual spirituality in that society.[7] He had criticized Jyllands-Posten for 2005 cartoons depicting Muhammad due to "selective targeting" of "the very sanctity of the Muslim faith",[8] and alleged that American policymakers should avoid confrontation with the Muslim world.[9]
The existence of an underlying rationality in the interpretation of fundamentals of Islam distinguishes reformist Islam from orthodox school. Mehdi Noorbaksh has further explained this idea with his emphasis on democracy and democratization, being the ideals of reformist Islam. Muslims are, therefore, able to participate in rational discourse and Islam is deemed to play the role of a progressive faith, which no longer opposes modernity.
Before him [Jahangir Amuzega], Mehdi Noorbaksh sent an unsuccessful warning to American policy makers to avoid a confrontation with the Muslim world. In a call for understanding and restraint, he urged the United States to...
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