Customer Reviews

Human Rights in Iran: The Abuse of Cultural Relativism (Pennsylvania Studies in Human Rights)

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What a tour de force by Professor Afshari. An excellently written, researched and documented scholarly work but yet accessible to the general reader.

I have never been to Iran but after reading this wonderful work I feel that I have a deeper understanding of the current forces in the Iranian society and in particular what shapes the thinking of the Shia theocrats and their claim to exceptionalism. The paper back edition has a special valuable reward for its readers. An insightful,timely and well written "Afterword" that deals with the "Green Revolution" its roots, causes and future. This 45 page addendum makes this a worth while twofer.

One of the most thoroughly researched books on the subject. Well written. A grabbing if disturbing read. At a time when the political science literature on Iran suffers from shallowly researched and often poorly made arguments that take too few Persian-language sources into account, Afshari's book stands out as one whose sources are wide, balanced, closely analyzed - an example many, one may hope, will follow in the meticulousness the author's research exhibits.