Post-Revolutionary Politics in Iran: Religion, Society and Power Trade paperback - 2001

Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.: Frank Cass Publishers, 2001. First Printing . Trade Paperback. Near Fine. 6" x 9. 356 Pages Indexed. There are two pages with creases from folded corners and one instance of marginal marks. Beyond this is an As New book with otherwise flawless text pages. The Islamic Revolution of 1979 represented a new political system and leadership, with a new ideology and a world vision. In power the new leaders were often obliged to compromise their ideology in pragmatic response to the domestic situation and regional developments. In time, the main domestic trends crystallized into two major camps: advocates of reform and champions of continued conservatism. It is a profound debate, on questions of religion and state, Islam and democracy, idealism versus national interests, and the still unfulfilled expectations of social and economic betterment and greater freedoms. The election of Khatami in 1997 was the result of the growing discontent and signaled an intensification of existing rifts. Twenty-two years after the Revolution, the Iranian ship of state continues to drift in search of equilibrium between dedication to its revolutionary convictions and the demands of governance; between conservatism and reformism; between religion and state. The first part of this book examines the domestic developments and Iran's policy since the passing of the founding father of the revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, in 1989. The second part explores Iran's regional ambitions and international politics. In this way, the book attempts to decipher the complexities that characterize the relationship between Iran's domestic dynamics and foreign policies. Written by a renowned scholar of the region, this book will be indispensable to scholars of Iran and the Middle East, and also of interest to the informed general reader. The author is Senior Research Fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies and a Professor at Tel Aviv University. Contents in Two Parts: The Domestic Scene and Iran, The West and the Middle East Peace Process.