Abstract
This article reflects on the prospects of a political transition in Iran—from the Islamic Republic to a secular and pluralist political order—by drawing lessons from South Africa’s transition to liberal democracy. While widely praised for securing equal rights, South Africa’s 1996 Constitution also institutionalized political secularism, an essential but often overlooked achievement.
In a religiously diverse society, secularism was crucial to dismantling Apartheid’s system of White supremacy and Protestant privilege. However, differences in the internal dynamics and external pressures shaping each case make it unlikely that Iran will undergo a South African-style transition under current conditions. Examining how South Africa drafted a secular constitution, and the specific model of secularism it adopted, can nevertheless inform reflection on the Iranian context and help articulate strategies for a transition that would dismantle Islamically sanctioned gender apartheid.
Keywords
secularism, religious pluralism, gender apartheid, transition, Iran, South Africa
