Conditions of Possibility and Reasons for Preventing the Establishment of the Interdisciplinary of “Social Policy” in Iran

One characteristic of interdisciplinary educations is creating a connection between theoretical and practical spheres of education, and also establishing an effective bond between science and everyday social realities. “Social policy”, as an interdisciplinary, that deals with systematic and complex issues in everyday life includes the both characteristics. Although “Social policy” has established its own independent identity as a university discipline in some universities around the world; its necessity as a part of the structure of academic education has not been recognized in a clear and independent way in Iran. The present research, while aware of the insufficient attention given to the interdisciplinary of “social policy” in Iran, seek to answer this research question: What are the conditions of possibility and reasons for preventing the establishment of “social policy” in the higher education of Iransocial? Based on the findings, the nature of the subject of “social policy”, the defective structure of academic education in Iran, and the inefficacy of the intellectual discourse in paying attention to subjects related to “social policy” can be highlighted as the reasons for preventing the establishment of “social policy”. The conditions of possibility for the establishment of “social policy” as an interdisciplinary, can be examined at two levels. First, at the cognitive level, which concerns the strategic role of “social policy” discipline in social policy-making, and second, at the applied level, which requires understanding the problematic social conditions in Iran and the necessity of a scientific understanding of these conditions. Therefore, the establishment of academic “social policy” can be concerned with its epistemological aspect with the aim of developing social knowledge in Iran, and also, considering its functional importance and its applicative role, it can help reduce the costs of social policy-making opportunities by establishing a connection between social, political and security aspects and the scientific aspects of social phenomena.