Iran Debates

This study provides a comprehensive examination of the evolution of Islam as a ruling framework in postrevolutionary Iran up to the present day. Beginning with the position and structure of Iran's clerical establishment under the Islamic Republic, Kamrava delves into the jurisprudential debates that have shaped the country's political institutions and state policies. Kamrava draws on extensive fieldwork to examine various religious narratives that inform the basis of contemporary Iranian politics, also revealing the political salience of standard practices and beliefs, such as religious guardianship and guidance, Islam as a source of social protection, the relationship between Islam and democracy, the sources of divine and popular legitimacy, and the theoretical justifications for religious authoritarianism. Providing access to many Persian-language sources for the first time, Kamrava shows how religious intellectual production in Iran has impacted the ongoing transformation of Iranian Shi'ism and ultimately underwritten the fate of the Islamic Republic.

This book maps an emerging cycle of films made by Iranian diasporic women filmmakers and produced outside of Iran, focusing on five significant examples: Shirin Neshat’s Women Without Men (2009), Sepideh Farsi’s Red Rose (2014), Maryam Keshavarz’s Circumstance (2011), Ana Lily Amirpour’s A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) and Desiree Akhavan’s Appropriate Behaviour (2014). These films speak to the emergence of feminist concerns surrounding gender relations, female subjectivity and sexuality in diasporic filmmaking. The book intends to show how the body of recent Iranian diasporic women’s films demonstrates a substantial shift within the existing exilic and diasporic paradigm, requiring analysis of intersectional relations between ethnicity, culture, nationality, gender and sexuality. Attending closely to the vibrant feminist film culture generated by Iranian women in the diaspora, this book aims to interrogate the diversity of women’s filmmaking practices and their role in shaping new representations of female subjectivity and the diasporic condition.

Iran's prison system is a foundational institution of Iranian political modernity. The Incarcerated Modern traces Iran's transformation from a decentralized empire with few imprisoned persons at the turn of the twentieth century into a modern nation-state with over a quarter million prisoners today. In policing the line between "bad criminal" and "good citizen," the carceral system has shaped and reshaped Iranian understandings of citizenship, freedom, and political belonging.

This work unearths details and provides updated insights into an enduring puzzle of modern Iranian political history. It concludes that the Left's demise came from a combination of Iran's geopolitical setting and internal factors such as splits and factionalism.

"From Oxus to Euphrates: The World of Late Antique Iran" by Touraj Daryaee and Khodadad Rezakhani. The book aims to introduce the world of Late Antique Iran, focusing on the Sasanian Empire, and to challenge the Eurocentric approach to studying this period. The authors argue that the Sasanians were a significant force in the late antique world, shaping the region's political, economic, cultural and religious landscape. The excerpts offer a glimpse into the Sasanian history, ideology, religion, economy, literature, and language and highlight the importance of including the Sasanians in the broader narrative of Late Antiquity. They also critique the portrayal of the Sasanians in Orientalist and Marxist historiography and propose a more inclusive and nuanced approach to studying this period.

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This book provides an overview of the tumultuous relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran, exploring the rivalry's impact on the Arab and Muslim world. It traces the origins of the conflict back to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, revealing how both countries have sought to expand their influence through cultural and religious domination. The text analyses the rivalry's role in the rise of sectarianism, terrorism, and violence, culminating in the emergence of the Islamic State (ISIS). It also examines the impact of this conflict on the internal politics of countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Pakistan, where both Saudi and Iranian actors have sought to advance their interests through proxy wars and sectarian tensions.

The book examines the history of modern-day Iran, beginning with the rule of Reza Shah, focusing mainly on the 1979 revolution, the subsequent Islamic Republic, and its relationship with the West. They explore the country’s internal political struggles, role in the Middle East, relationship with its neighbours, and complex history with the United States. The sources highlight how Iranian culture and politics have been shaped by foreign interference and how the Iranian government continues to grapple with the legacy of these interactions. They also explore the issues of human rights in Iran, precisely the challenges faced by women and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Jail. The memoir recounts Rezaian's experience of being imprisoned by Iranian authorities for 544 days, which he describes as a period of interrogation, abuse, manipulation and shameless lying. Throughout his ordeal, Rezaian struggles to maintain his sanity and dignity, constantly working to ensure his release while remaining steadfast in his commitment to journalism. The memoir also examines the broader context of US-Iran relations, the history of hostage-taking in Iran, and how Rezaian's experience reflects broader political and social realities.

"Iran Without Borders" by Hamid Dabashi is a comprehensive study that examines the multifaceted identity of Iran through the lens of its transnational history and cultural interactions. Dabashi argues that Iran’s postcolonial borders are artificial constructs that obscure its rich and complex history of cosmopolitanism, spanning centuries of imperial and colonial exchanges with the broader world. He challenges the notion of a fixed, monolithic Iranian identity by exploring the influence of Indian, Arab, and European cultures on Iranian thought, literature, and artistic expression. Throughout the book, Dabashi examines the interconnectedness of Iranian identity with its surrounding regions, highlighting the influence of labour migration, the impact of the oil industry, and the role of the transnational public sphere in shaping Iran’s cultural and political landscape. By tracing the origins of Iranian cosmopolitanism, Dabashi seeks to liberate Iran from its artificial confines and celebrate its national identity's dynamic, multifaceted nature.

Armies of the Iran–Iraq War 1980–88 is an in-depth account of the military forces involved in the Iran–Iraq War (1980–88). It details the structure, organisation, recruitment, training and equipment of the Iranian and Iraqi armies and their associated paramilitary forces. The text includes broad overviews of the armies and a more granular look at different military branches, including infantry, armoured, mechanized, special forces, and air forces. The text provides details of weaponry and equipment but also examines the political and ideological pressures that impacted the military effectiveness of both sides, ultimately contributing to a drawn-out and costly conflict.