This is the third episode of the Iran 1400 Project’s series on labor in Iran and the first of a three-part conversation with Dr. Kaveh Ehsani about the social history of labor and oil. Dr. Ehsani, an associate professor at DePaul University, defines social history and highlights its importance for Iran and the broader world. He provides insights into what labor relations and Iran’s economy looked like before the discovery of oil in the country, going into detail about the composition of Iran's population and life before Iranians were dependent on wages.