Iranians’ reactions to globalization have caused a cause of an internal division. While the message of the locals has been that globalization is a modern-day ploy to homogenize the world’s diverse cultures by imposing a near uniformity of values and socioeconomic models on non-Western societies, the cosmopolitans have responded that the globalizing dynamics have heralded an era of change, requiring cultural and religious reformation. It is safe to say that the youth, the women, the intelligentsia, and the media have all advocated reform of the culture. Unlike the shah’s modernization plan, which was imposed from above and lacked domestic constituency, the globalizers’ drive toward social change is largely fueled by grassroots support and an internal reform movement. Today, for instance, some Iranian feminists have even called for adjusting domestic laws to the universal standards embodied in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, raising both ethical and legal questions concerning the nation’s all-too-familiar male-dominated gender formula. Moreover, many local and national women’s movements actively support gender equality around the globe, redefining the meanings of identities and interests. Not surprisingly, the locals have capitalized on contradictions inherent in globalization in a country like Iran where religion and highcontext culture continue to play a central role in people’s lives. While human rights are an integral part of the national discourse, fears and uncertainties associated with globalization inexorably generate resistance, keeping localizers’ message alive. As the debate rages on whether to embrace or refute globalization, reformers and their allies represent the best hope for change in the long term.