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Theatre enjoys a special standing in Iran. On the one hand it is subject to state censorship, but on the other it serves as a means of disseminating state cultural policy. Accordingly, the socio-historical background of a play is more interesting than its literary value: Who are the enemies and role models – and what do they say about the play’s creator and audiences? Alongside the propagandist plays, historical works also find their way to the stage. But it is not unusual for the dramas that address Iran’s pre-Islamic past to contain hidden criticism. In her doctoral dissertation Anna Heller M.A. explores all of these issues. To begin with, she sets out her motivation and first impressions of her research project.