The Pathology of Teaching English Literature in Iran

This article is divided into three parts. The first part reviews the role of humanities in the sustainable development of the society and the role of literature as the preserver of cultural identity. The second part deals with the historical background of English literature and its role in the colonies of British Empire. After the political independence of ex-colonies, cultural imperialism resumed its role in eliminating the native culture and replacing it with the European culture. The third part is a critical study of the English literature curriculum in Iran. It will be demonstrated that this curriculum has not been successful in achieving its primary goals in practice. At the end, the researcher makes some strategic recommendations including the establishment of interdisciplinary departments such as Comparative Literature which can assist us in introducing our own literature and culture to others and have a better and critical understanding of the other as well.