Expert on Middle East joins Massey

Iranian-born Negar Partow, an expert on Middle East politics, religion, human rights and global security has joined Massey University to develop its new Masters of International Security programme.

Ms Partow will also teach undergraduate papers in emerging security issues, globalisation and the effects of increased security on human rights.

Born in Iran’s capital city, Tehran, Ms Partow lived there through the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which saw the overthrow of the Iranian monarchy and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. She grew up there during the 1980 to 1988 Iran–Iraq War.

As a teenager, Ms Partow says she saw many under threat of execution and capture as political prisoners were deprived of their civil rights under the Islamic republic.

“I saw how a revolutionary state became a security-orientated state only few months after the revolution. The fact that every political issue was decided within a security context made me interested in the relationship between a state, its political and religious identity, and human rights.”

She studied a BA in English Literature and Persian Translation at the Azad University of Tehran where she also completed her first Masters in Ancient Languages and Culture of the Middle East. She moved to New Zealand in 2002 attracted by the country’s highly democratic system of government and its openness in having a female Prime Minister, Helen Clark.

Ms Partow joined Victoria University where she did a second Masters in Political Philosophy and Martyrdom in Iran. She was awarded a scholarship in 2005 and did a PhD exploring Messianism and Political Authority in Israel and Iran, which she completed in November 2011.

She joined Massey University as a lecturer based on its Wellington campus in January.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to teach at Massey University where I can focus on the development of the new Masters programme and focus on my interests around security and individual freedoms,” she says.

She is working with Nick Nelson, John Mormon, Jim Veitch, and Rachel Butler in the Centre for Defence and Security Studies developing the Masters of International Security, which will be offered in late 2012.

“I am inspired by diversity of the expertise in the Centre of Defence and Security Studies in Massey, that enables the Centre to play a significant role in the academic study of security both internationally and domestically. I am looking forward to working with my colleagues and developing new contacts throughout the university.”

Ms Partow is a regular media commentator on Middle East issues including energy supply, social and political unrest, human rights, gender equality issues, civil rights, religious diversity, globalisation, and security.