The Legacy of Mahsa Amini and the Iranian Women’s Freedom Movement + The Launch of the Athena Initiative
Please join the Institute for Middle East Studies for the launch and inaugural event of the Athena Initiative: Advancing Human Security in International Affairs, with Director Dr. Shirley Graham.
September 2025 marks three years since the death of Iranian citizen Mahsa Amini which sparked one of the largest Iranian protest movements since the 1979 Revolution. To discuss the legacy of Mahsa Amini, the movement she inspired, and the current state of the Iranian Women’s Freedom Movement, Dr. Sina Azodi will moderate an in-depth conversation with experts Barbara Slavin, Dr. Shirin Saeidi, and Dr. Emily Blout.
Our panelists will examine the successes and setbacks of the Mahsa Movement, highlighting its lasting impacts on Iranian society and politics. The discussion will also explore the effects of current U.S. policy on Iranian women and the extensive repression carried out by the Iranian government in response to the movement.
This event is free and open to the public. Light lunch will be served. For those unable to attend in-person, the event will also be broadcast live on Zoom.
Speakers
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Barbara Slavin is a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington and a lecturer in international affairs at the George Washington University.
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Dr. Shirin Saeidi is an associate professor of political science and the director of the King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies.
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Dr. Emily Blout is a historian and media scholar. She holds a PhD in History, Iranian Studies from the University of St. Andrews and a M.A. in International Security Studies from the National Defense University. She presently teaches courses at Georgetown University and previously served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Media Studies at the University of Virginia.
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Dr. Shirley Graham is a Research Fellow affiliated with the Institute for International Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction at Dublin City University. She is also an Associate Professor of Practice in International Affairs and Director of the Athena Institute at the George Washington University.
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Dr. Sina Azodi is an Assistant Professor of Middle East Politics and Program Director of, M.A. Middle East Studies at the George Washington University.
