Education and the Cultural Cold War in the Middle East: The Franklin Book Programs in Iran

The Franklin Book Programs (FBP) was founded in 1952 to promote U.S. liberal values and combat Soviet influence. It evolved into an international educational program publishing university textbooks, schoolbooks, and supplementary readings. In Iran, it worked closely with the Pahlavi regime to develop printing, publishing, book distribution, and bookselling institutions. This book uses archival sources from the FBP, US intelligence agencies, and Iran to reveal the extent to which the program shaped Iran's educational system.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 23 February 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The Franklin Book Programs (FBP) was a private, non-profit organization in the United States that was established in 1952 during the Cold War. It received funding from both government agencies and private corporations. Initially, the FBP's primary goal was to promote American liberal values, counter Soviet influence, and establish suitable markets for American books in the "Third World," particularly the Middle East. However, over time, it transformed into an international educational program that published university textbooks, schoolbooks, and supplementary readings. In Iran, the FBP worked closely with the Pahlavi regime to develop printing, publishing, book distribution, and bookselling institutions.

This book utilizes archival sources from the FBP, US intelligence agencies, and Iran to reconstruct this relationship. When placed within the broader framework of US cultural diplomacy projects, it sheds light on the profound impact the FBP had on Iran's educational system. The history of the FBP, its intricate network of state and private sector partners, the role of US librarians, publishers, and academics, and the joint projects it organized with national ministries of education, funded by the US Department of State and US foundations, provide a fresh perspective on the long history of education in imperialist social orders, particularly in the context of the ongoing Cold War struggle for influence.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780755643424