Politics and Culture in Contemporary Iran: Challenging the Status Quo

by Abbas Milani, Larry Diamond

Overview

Despite the relative calm apparent in Iran today, there is unmistakable evidence of political, social, and cultural ferment stirring beneath the surface. The authors of Politics and Culture in Contemporary Iran—a unique group of scholars, activists, and artists—explore that unrest and its challenge to the legitimacy and stability of the present authoritarian regime. Ranging from political theory to music, from human rights law to social media, their contributions reveal the tenacious and continually evolving forces that are at work resisting the status quo.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626371477
Publisher:	Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	03/03/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	301
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Larry Diamond is senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

Editorial Reviews

This valuable book ... provide[s] an objective and critical analysis of Iran’s political development.

Choice

03/01/2015
Today, there is a large and thriving Iranian exile community in the West, especially in the United States. In this edited volume, Milani (Hamid & Christina Moghadam Director of Iranian Studies, Stanford Univ.; The Shah) and Diamond (senior fellow, Freeman Spogli Inst. for Intl. Studies, Stanford Univ.; senior fellow, Hoover Institution at Stanford Univ.; The Spirit of Democracy), who codirect the Hoover Institution's Iran Democracy Project, have put together an eclectic collection of articles primarily by several Iranian exiles and expatriates on various facets of contemporary Iran's sociopolitical and cultural life. The range of contributors to this finely crafted book represents individuals from academia, culture, and political activism. The chapters cover such issues as Iran's legal system, the theocratic foundation of its polity, the role of social media, the role of militias, and the various forms of democratic impulses among the populace. Several of the contributors have also had experience working inside the Islamic Republic for a number of years, and they provide insights that are especially helpful for Western readers in understanding the rich mosaic of today's Iran. In addition, the book allows readers to go beyond the official representation of the country and gain a deeper appreciation of the complexity of a rich and vibrant society. VERDICT A useful source for academics, policymakers, and informed general readers.—Nader Entessar, Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile

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