Foreign Languages Education in the Qajar and Pahlavi Eras(with reliance on linguistic imperialism theory)

Foreign relations, at all levels, whether formal, state or personal relations, require familiarity with foreign languages. With the increase in need for establishing foreign relations at all levels in the contemporary Iranian history, the issue of educating and learning foreign languages got new aspects. In the early 19th century, the Iranian defeats in two wars against Russia made them aware of their lag behind the new science and technology train, and the Iranians decided to learn the new sciences. And in this regard, familiarity with foreign languages was of paramount importance. Various factors led to the French language becoming the primary among the foreign languages in the 1st period of this movement (from the 19th centrury to the 2nd world war), and during the next period (until the end of the 2nd Pahlavi reign), English became the first foreign language. In this paper, this issue is probed first from the historical aspect, and the historical evidence and clues relating to the change and development  of foreign languages in Iran is looked into. Then, using the "Linguistic Imperialism" theory by Robert Phillipson, it is examined how this change, while being influenced by domestic conditions and policy making of the Iranian governments, has been influenced by a global trend and the English language emerging as an international language. In other words, Iranian situation has not been contrary to the international trend, and the emerging of the English language in Iran as the first foreign language, must be seen as influenced by the globalization policies.