Iran: A Very Short Introduction

Abstract Iran has rarely been out of the headlines. Yet extensive media interest has tended to hinder rather than help our understanding of Iran as an idea, an identity, and a people, leading to a superficial understanding of what is a complex and nuanced political culture and civilization. Iran: A Very Short Introduction presents a radical reinterpretation of Iranian history and politics, placing the Islamic Revolution in the context of a century of political change and social transformation. It considers the various factors that have contributed towards the construction of the idea of Iran and the complex identity of Iranians themselves, to provide a more realistic understanding for us all.