Modern IranPolitical Islam- Culture &

IdentityAnd the Democratic

MovementsNasrin Naraghi

City College of San FranciscoWednesday October 27, 2010

Objective• A More personal perspective about

Iranian people and culture by an Iranian- American through study, travel, and communication with Iranian people

• On going Issues and Challenges- Transcendental and contending values in Iranian culture

Iranian National Identity• Ancient Iran until defeat of the

Sassanid: Persian culture and Zoroastrian religion hand in hand.

• Safavid dynasty until 1979- Persian and Shi’a Islam

• 1979 onward- Shiite Islam without monarchy

Modern Iran Timeline

• Qajar Dynaty-1794- 1925• 1906- Constitutional Revolution• Pahlavi Dynasty- Reza Shah Pahlavi

(1925- 1941) Muhammad Reza Shah (1953- 1979)

Multi-Ethnic Population• Persians- More than 50%, speak

Farsi, the official language in Iran• Azarbaijanis ( Turks), Kurds, Arabs,

Lurs, and Turkomans

Religion• Shiite Islam: more than 88% of

population• 8%: Sunnis Islam• 2%: Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, &

Bahai’s

Iranian Calendar• Solar Hejri: Hejri refers to when

Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina with many of his followers.

• Iranian New Year: March 21st, first day of spring, Spring Equinox.

Official Religion• Shiite Islam the official religion in

Iran since the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century.

Life in Iran today

• More than 70% of population in Iran is under 30. This generation is sometimes referred to as the “Children of Revolution.”

What is this generation like? What are their views on the

government? What are their goals and interests?

Iranian Revolution• Began in 1978 with massive

demonstrations and strikes throughout the cities and the capital city, Tehran

• Islamic Revolution: A grass-root, populist movement supported by masses of people mobilized through Islam; the only force that could fend off 2500 years of monarchy in Iran.

Important Dates• 1978- 1979: Islamic Revolution• The Leader of the revolution:

Ayatollah Ruhallah Khomeini• January 1979: The Shah fled Iran and

Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran

Important Dates• November 1979- January1981:

Iranian Students seized the American embassy in Tehran

• December 1979: The country approved a theocratic constitution

• April 1979: Iranian people choose Islamic Republic in a national referendum

Important Dates• Iran- Iraq war, the imposed war or

holy defense: 1980 to 1988• Cultural Revolution- 1980- 1987• June 1989- The death of Ayatollah

Khomeini• 1997- 2005- Ali Mohammad Khatami,

The Reformist President

Important Dates• 2005- Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the

Hardliner, Champion of the poor

• 2009- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is declared the landslide victor in presidential election against Mir Hossein Mousavi

Post Election Demonstrations & Riots- Demand for Democracy• Who were the dissidents, their

demands- – Then & Now

• The Crackdown within the government

• Iranian Scholars: Reza Aslan, Abbas Milani, and Western Scholars

Tehran: Four Seasons

Satellite dishes are illegal in Iran

The Inside Space- Secular Women, Persepolis, Memoir

Women’s identity through clothing

Skiing in north of Tehran

Secular Women- Islamic hejab & Western Clothing

Modern Religious Women- 60% of university students are women

Bazar Tehran

A snowy day in Tehran

Tehran- Vali-e Asr Square

Gate of Tehran

Azadi Square

Milad Tower (Borj-e Milad)

• 435 meter tall

• Tehran International Trade and Convention Center

Alborz Mountain in Tehran

Skyline of Tehran

Tehran: Gate of Bagh Meli Qajar architecture

Iranian National Museum

Tehran: Inside Bagh Meli

Column capital in Bagh Meli

Isfahan Bazaar

Ali Qapu in Isfahan

Isfahan Bazaar

Isfahan

Art & Cultural Center in Isfahan