Politics of Culture in Iran

by Fazeli; Nematollah

• ISBN13: 9780415370059
• ISBN10: 0415370051
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-01-24
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Politics of Culture in Iran is the first comprehensive study of modern anthropology within the context of Iranian studies and politics in the twentieth century. This book analyzes the ways in which anthropology and culture in Iran has interacted with Iranian politics and society. In particular it highlights how and why anthropology and culture became part of wider socio-political discourses and how they were appropriated and rejected by the pre- and post- revolutionary regimes. The author shows that there have been three main phases of Iranian anthropology, corresponding broadly to three periods in the social and political development of Iran and include: The Period of Nationalism: lasting approximately from the Constitutional Revolution (1906-11) and the end of the Qajar dynasty until the end of Reza Shah's reign (1941). The Period of Nativism: from the 1950s until the Islamic Revolution (1979) The Post-Revolutionary Period This book also places Iranwithin an international context by demonstrating how western anthropological concepts, theories and methodologies affected epistemological and political discourses in Iranian anthropology. Politics of Culture in Iran is essential reading for those with interests in Iranian society and politics and anthropology.

Author Biography

Nematollah Fazeli is Associate Professor of Allameh Tabatab'ai University of Iran.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	vii
Note on transliteration	viii
1 Iranian anthropology and ideology	1	(26)
Introduction	1	(1)
Anthropology as the research problem	1	(4)
Anthropology as the research subject	5	(2)
Methodological and theoretical considerations	7	(10)
The politics of anthropology	17	(3)
Writing a history of anthropology	20	(5)
Organization of the book	25	(2)
2 Anthropology and Iranian cultures: Iranian anthropology 1900-25	27	(18)
Introduction	27	(1)
Travel accounts	28	(5)
Orientalism	33	(1)
Mythology and nationalist history	34	(3)
Archaeology and the identity question	37	(3)
Folklore and modernist literati	40	(3)
Conclusion	43	(2)
3 Anthropology and nationalism: Iranian anthropology 1925-41	45	(34)
Introduction	45	(1)
Political discourses in Reza Shah's time	46	(1)
Anthropology in the reign of Reza Shah	47	(5)
Anthropological institutions	52	(9)
Intellectual nationalist folklore studies	61	(15)
Conclusion	76	(3)
4 Anthropology and modernization: Iranian anthropology 1941-79	79	(56)
Introduction	79	(3)
Anthropology and modernization	82	(11)
Anthropology and the West	93	(5)
Indigenization	98	(6)
Monarchic nationalism	104	(5)
Anthropology and anti-modernization	109	(13)
Liberal nationalism	122	(3)
Socialism	125	(8)
Conclusion	133	(2)
5 Anthropology and Islamism: Iranian anthropology in the 1980's	135	(30)
Introduction	135	(1)
A Revolution against anthropology	136	(12)
The religious—secular conflict	148	(11)
The culture of anthropology versus political culture	159	(4)
Conclusion	163	(2)
6 Anthropology and Islamic modernization: Iranian anthropology in the 1990's	165	(36)
Introduction	165	(1)
Structural changes in postwar Iran	166	(6)
The teaching of anthropology	172	(10)
Local knowledge studies	182	(5)
Studies of the nomads	187	(3)
Cultural heritage studies	190	(6)
Folklore studies	196	(2)
Conclusion	198	(3)
7 Iranian anthropology: a conclusion	201	(15)
Introduction	201	(11)
Rethinking anthropology in Iran	212	(4)
Notes	216	(7)
Bibliography	223	(26)
Index	249