Description
Book SynopsisWhy is Iran continuously in the news? How has the Islamic Republic developed ideologically since the 1979 revolution? What are the best ways of comprehending the country at this critical juncture in its history? These are some of the questions at the heart of Arshin Adib-Moghaddam's book, which offers novel methodological and theoretical insights in explaining the foreign relations and domestic politics of post-revolutionary Iran. From the nuclear issue, to the perpetual stand-off with the United States, from the future of Iranian democracy to Iranian-Arab relations, from American neo-conservatism to Islamic utopian-romanticism, from Avicenna to Ayatollah Khomeini, the author guides the reader through the complexities that bedevil our understanding of contemporary Iran. In exposing the limitations of mainstream representations of the country and the wider Muslim world, 'Iran in World Politics' makes a powerful case for 'critical Iranian studies', for a new system of thought that pluralises both the way we see Iran, and the international politics enveloping the country.
Trade Review'Adib-Moghaddam's engaging analysis of the Iranian politics is an effective antidote against the widespread characterisation of the Islamic Republics the centre of the Shi'i crescent and a regime ruled by messianic fanatics who are soon to be armed with nuclear weapons.' -- Gunes Murat Tezcur, Insight Turkey
'Arshin Adib-Moghaddam's study is a dynamic and analytical one, where both ideational and material dialectics shape contemporary politics. Not only is this an original contribution, but it also serves as an in-depth critical analysis.' -- A. Reza Sheikholeslami, Wadham College, University of Oxford and the American University of Sharjah
Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. Islamic Utopian Romanticism and the Foreign Policy Culture of Iran2. Inventions of the Iran-Iraq War and the Myth of Endemic 'Persian-Arab'Enmity3. Iranian-American Encounters: The Islamic Republic in the Neo-conservativeMind4. Iran's Pluralistic Momentum and the Future of Iranian Democracy5. In Place of a Conclusion: Towards Critical Iranian Studies
