Iran
Subtitle: a beginner's guide
By: Homa Katouzian
Series: Beginner's guides (Oxford, England); Oneworld beginners' guides
Publisher: Oneworld
Published: 2013
Place of publication: London, England
Language: eng
Number of pages: 248
ISBN-13: 9781780742724; 9781780742731
Subjects: Politics and government; Politisches System; Political science; History
Description: As the Western-Iranian impasse continues to dominate international affairs, politicians and the media confidently proclaim Iran the greatest threat to the Western World. But this villainous mask obscures a far more complex identity formed by a vibrant and tumultuous history. Revealing the true face of this troubled country, acclaimed expert Homa Katouzian delves deep into Iran's past, exploring how an ancient civilization at a cross-road of diverse dynasties and religions grew to become an ethnically, linguistically and culturally rich nation still bound by the Persian tradition. Major political events and key figures are brought to life as centuries of authoritarian and arbitrary rule, chaos and revolution are unraveled and analyzed, shedding new light on modern Iran and making this an indispensable resource for understanding the current situation in the Middle East.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 230-231) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: Iran: the land and the people; title: Ancient Persia; title: Medieval Persia; title: Dilemma of modernization and the revolution for law; title: Iran under the Pahlavis; title: 1979 revolution and the Islamic Republic; title: Post-Khomeini Iran; title: Timeline; title: Further reading; title: Index.