Imagining Iran : the tragedy of subaltern nationalism / Majid Sharifi.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sharifi, Majid, 1951-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Legitimacy of governments.

History.

Islam and state.

Nationalism.

Iran--Politics and government--20th century.

Iran.

Politics and government.

Nationalism--Iran--History--20th century.

Islam and state--Iran--History--20th century.

Legitimacy of governments--Iran--History--20th century.

Physical Description:

xiii, 359 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham : Lexington Books, [2013]

Summary:

Imagining Iran problematizes Iranian official nationalism and reviews how every modern Iranian regime since the constitutional revolution of 1905-1906 has failed to nationalize its official identity, resulting in the fall of five different regimes. Majid Sharifi shows how, as the official meanings of Iranianness have changed over time, so have the narratives attached to enemies who deprive Iranians from actualizing their national desire to become sovereign, developed, democratic, and constitutional. What has remained the same is the failure of every regime to nationalize its imagination of Iranianness. This book makes three specific contributions. The first contribution is pedagogical; by focusing on the dynamics of regime changes, Sharifi provides a heuristic model for identifying challenges that all Iranian regimes have faced. The second contribution is theoretical. Rather than examining the behavior of various Iranian regimes in isolation from their international context, this book examines how each regime was able to understand itself in relation to its imperial others. By examining the governmental rationality of each regime, Sharifi offers a better theoretical framework for understanding political development not only in Iran, but also in all other Middle Eastern and South Asian states. Finally, the third contribution of this book is its critical approach to the main body of literature on Iran, modernity, development, democracy, and constitutionalism. Book jacket.

Contents:

Contested Iranianness

The emergence of modern Iranian nationalism

Subaltern developmentalism : Reza Shah's reign (1921-1941)

Imperial interventions (1941 and 1953)

Formation of a hegemonic national opposition (1953-1978)

The Islamic Republic : the creation of an Islamic Iranian subject

Consolidation of the state power but crisis in national identity

Islamic nationalism redefined

Official nationalism in practice : seduction of othering

Conclusion.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780739179444

0739179446

OCLC:

849801320