2.0

credits

Average Course Rating

More than three decades have passed since a mass political movement toppled Iran’s monarchy and scuttled a set of assumptions about religion, modernity, and political development. The establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran dramatically transformed the nation’s internal politics, economy, and society, and its impact echoed well beyond Iran’s borders to reconfigure the geostrategic balance in the Middle East. Over the course of the next 33 years, Iran’s revolutionary theocracy has been at the center of what former national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski has described as “the arc of crisis” that spans North Africa to South Asia. As the heavyweight power in a crucial region, with unique religious and cultural sway, situated at the crux of global energy resources and transportation routes, Iran would inevitably rank high on the American security agenda irrespective of its leadership. That importance is magnified by the persistence of antagonism between Tehran and Washington as well as by the Islamic Republic's contentious role in the region. Once again, Iran once again finds itself in history’s spotlight, thanks to negotiations over Tehran's nuclear ambitions that have yielded the first sign of diplomatic progress in a decade-long impasse. What happens next in Iran’s always compelling narrative will have dramatic repercussions not only for its 70 million citizens, but for its neighbors, the world economy, and American interests in the Middle East. This course is intended to provide a comprehensive understanding the forces shaping Iran’s domestic political evolution and its international relations. The course will examine six key critical junctures in post-revolutionary Iranian history, integrating a discussion of political dynamics, economic forces, and international policies and challenges. <a href="http://bit.ly/1bebp5s" target="_blank">Click here to see evaluations, syllabi, and faculty bios</a>