Women and Politics in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Action and Reaction

by Sanam Vakil

Overview

The book examines the growth and development of women's activism in Iran since the 1979 Revolution.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781441197344
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/21/2011
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Sanam Vakil is an Adjunct Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Bologna, Italy. She also taught as an assistant professor at SAIS in Washington, D.C., was a researcher at the Council on Foreign Relations and a consultant to the World Bank. Born in Tehran, Iran, Dr. Vakil has published commentaries in many papers, including the Financial Times and the Washington Quarterly. She has consulted on Middle Eastern affairs for BBC, CNN, NPR and ABC.

Table of Contents

Introduction - A Female Awakening through a Century of Trouble

Chapter 2 - The Revolutionary Century Through the Eyes and Lives of Women Chapter 3 - Khomeini: The Paradox and Politics of Religion Chapter 4 - Defining and Redefining Activist Women Chapter 5 - Rafsanjani: Road to Reform Chapter 6 - Khatami: The Momentum and Challenge of Reform Chapter 7 - Ahmadinejad: Claim Making and Stagnating Reform

Conclusion- The Circles of Confrontation, Conciliation and Contradition

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

Editorial Reviews

"Women in today's Iran are the main indicators of socio-political changes. The dynamics of the last three decades in Iran can be traced through the lives of its women. Since the female body is a significant subject in Iran's politics, women's history can also be read as the story of Islamic Republic's failures and achievements, and, in particular, the unintentional consequences of its gender policies. Sanam Vakili's book is an analytical and historical narrative of Iranian women's path toward emancipation and self-creation, with all its complexity, discontinuity, risks and rewards. Her well-researched book is a concise, accessible, comprehensive and eloquent account of the unique struggle for Iranian women's rights. And finally Vakili's book depicts a future for Iranian society that is shaped, more than anything else, by women's self-consciousness and agency. A must-read for all who are interested in knowing the heart of social dynamism and the ironic nature of Islamic ideology in post-revolution Iran." -Mehdi Khalaji; senior fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

"Dr. Sanam Vakil has written a first-rate and highly perceptive book about the role and status of women in the Islamic Republican of Iran. Based on many personal interviews with Iranian officials and woman activists in Iran, she persuasively argues that women, far from being passive bystanders, continue to be on the frontline challenging the Islamic Republic, demanding gender equality, and pushing the country toward the much-needed political reform. The book is cogently argued, lucidly written, and thoroughly researched. It is a must reading for those interested in learning about the dynamics and nuances of revolutionary Iran. In writing the book, Dr. Sanam Vakil has established herself as one of the leading scholars on women's movements in contemporary Iran." - Mohsen M. Milani, Professor and Chair, Department of Government & International Affairs, USF.

"So many authors guess about Iran, but Sanam Vakil knows that country and its way as precious few other authors do. She journeyed to that country often, and has returned with a remarkable book of its women, and of their quest for modernity and meaning. A first-rate book written with poise and sympathy and genuine authority." - Fouad Ajami, Professor and director of Middle East Studies at The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a Senior Fellow at The Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

"This is a fascinating account of the struggle of Iranian women for rights in the last hundred years, with a strong emphasis on the ebbs and flows of the last thirty years. A living testament to Iranian women's relentless quest for equality. A must read." -Haleh Esfandiari, author of My Prison, My Home: One Woman's Story of Captivity in Iran

From the Publisher