Iran: Between Tradition and Modernity (Global Encounters: Studies in Comparative Political Theory) - Hardcover

This collection contains original, thought-provoking essays that will increase the understanding of many aspects of a complex and fascinating country for students, scholars, and the general public. -- Nikki Keddie, University of California--Los Angeles Iran: Between Tradition and Modernity is a superb collection of perceptive and provocative articles about some of the daunting challenges of Iran's turbulent encounter with modernity. Bringing together some of the most prominent scholars and intellectuals of contemporary Iran, Dr. Jahanbegloo's book is must reading for any serious student of modern Iran. -- Mohsen M. Milani, University of South Florida Those seeking a probing, thoughtful, and multi-faceted understanding of modernity in Iran will find this volume highly pertinent and valuable. It is a welcome addition to the growing scholarly literature on modern Iran..... -- Fakhreddin Azimi, University of Connecticut, Storrs Recommendeddddd * CHOICE * The essays in this volume critically analyze the intellectual life of Iran, where the Islamic state's ideologically motivated policies have had paradoxical effects and unanticipated consequences in society, resulting in a cultural ferment in which old certainties are questioned and conventional wisdoms are challenged on all sides. These insightful essays help us make sense of the ongoing debates that make contemporary Iranian society so exciting. -- H. E. Chehabi, Boston University Those seeking a probing, thoughtful, and multi-faceted understanding of modernity in Iran will find this volume highly pertinent and valuable. It is a welcome addition to the growing scholarly literature on modern Iran. -- Fakhreddin Azimi, University of Connecticut, Storrs Recommended * CHOICE *

The Iranian Revolution represented to intellectuals and professionals the potential of spiritual values to triumph over the great power of economic imperialism. Yet out of this revolution has emerged an identity crisis that touches Islamic ideological heights and reaches down to the very ground of Islamic practice. The contributors to this collection, experts on Iranian cultural and political history, analyze the 'fragmented self' of today's Iranian, refracted through that country's institutions, market forces, and modern thought. Each essay both deepens our understanding of contemporary Iran and adds to the broader discussion of the relationship between Islam and the West.