This research critically examines Iranian Political Geography curricula against ten leading international universities (2024 data) using a comparative-analytical approach to assess their impact on graduate mindset. A qualitative content analysis compares Master’s level syllabi from Iran with institutions in the USA (Wisconsin, California), Canada (Toronto, British Columbia), UK (Oxford, King’s College, LSE), France (Sorbonne, Sciences Po), and Germany (Goethe, Free Berlin, LMU Munich).
Findings reveal significant divergences in three dimensions. Epistemologically, Iran predominantly adheres to geopolitical realism and classical positivism, marginalizing critical, post-colonial, and feminist theories. Methodologically, contemporary qualitative approaches like discourse analysis, political ethnography, and critical cartography are absent. Functionally, the Iranian system produces technocratic strategists rather than critical spatial analysts.
Conversely, global universities cultivate scholars viewing space as a dynamic, socially constructed entity. They integrate advanced topics such as critical geopolitics, political ecology, and spatial justice, linking theoretical knowledge with civic engagement. This study delineates these paradigmatic differences and proposes actionable recommendations for syllabus revision, aiming to align Iranian Political Geography education with global