Iranian Intellectuals and the West: The Tormented Triumph of Nativism (Mohammed El-Hindi Series on Arab Culture and Islamic Civiliz) [Paperback]

Mehrzad Boroujerdi (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Mehrzad Boroujerdi's Iranian Intellectuals And The West: The Tormented Triumph Of Nativism challenges the way many Americans perceive present-day Iran as well as how many Iranians view the West. Drawing on the works of Michel Foucault and Edward Said, Iranian Intellectuals And The West explore how Iranians use their own misunderstandings about the West to form their own identity and, in return, how Westerners describe Iran in negative terms to help them reaffirm the superiority of their own culture. Examining the works of thinkers seminal in defining modern Iran, Boroujerdi examines this nativist vision of an unsullied culture, seemly free of Western influence. Iranian Intellectuals And The West is informative, exceptional well researched and written, and will provide essential insights for the study of contemporary Iranian politics, society, and the influence of the west on a complex Islamic nation. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Syracuse University Press (November 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815604335
• ISBN-13: 978-0815604334
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,434,159 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply compelling, May 15, 2009

By 

Matthew Smith "Roger Mexico" (TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Iranian Intellectuals and the West: The Tormented Triumph of Nativism (Mohamed El-Hindi Series on Arab Culture and Islamic Civilization) (Hardcover)

This is the deepest book I have read in a while. It required a concentrated reading and a lot of attention. This book requires more than most from the reader, but the effort is well rewarded with a deeper understanding of Iran, and its experience with the West along with its own evolution within the new global dynamic.

This book really helped me understand the Iranian perspective. It is difficult for me to understand and conceptualize the difficulties, problems and opportunities presented by the contact between these two cultures. This book helped to add perspective to my understanding of Iran, and the conflict experienced by other peoples when confronted by the West.

Seeing the multifaceted approach being taken by different individuals and schools of thought was fascinating. From right to left, from secular to the clerical the different approaches to Western thought expressed dynamism at work in the intellectual community within Iran. This dynamism is in stark contrast to the belief in large circles in the US that Iran is static. Instead what we see is a tormented evolution within Iran. The intellectual battles being fought inside Iran have not yet ended and are anything but static.

This book is also important in understanding the intellectual ground work that helped cause some of the historical shifts in Iran. This is not an all encompassing look at Iranian history (of course), but it is an essential element in understanding that history. The author's discussion of the intellectuals and the elite gives the reader an insight into the internal happenings that caused the fall of Reza Shah and why the Islamic revolution succeeded.

All in all this is an essential read for anyone wanting to understand Iran. This is a fascinating book and an amazing story. The author introduces the reader to some of the most influential thinkers in Iran's modern history. The story of Iran's tormented triumph of Nativism is an enlightening read. I highly recommend this book.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting style and content, July 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Iranian Intellectuals and the West: The Tormented Triumph of Nativism (Mohammed El-Hindi Series on Arab Culture and Islamic Civiliz) (Paperback)

What started as a dissertation paper is now an excellent historical account of post-revolutionary Iran framed in the context of the key intellectuals of the time. Boroujerdi's work is exemplary in that it covers both the secular as well as religious (and those in-between) intellectuals of the time. He offers commentary and criticisms and doesn't fail to point out hypocrisy where encountered. A smooth and fast read, however, a pen and paper are useful as one encounters a multitude of interesting references that scream: "read me!"

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The East's reaction to West, December 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Iranian Intellectuals and the West: The Tormented Triumph of Nativism (Mohammed El-Hindi Series on Arab Culture and Islamic Civiliz) (Paperback)

This book (based on the author's doctorate thesis) is a good sociological review of various reactions to the West and Westernication by Iranian intellectuals. The personalities discussed in the book fairly represent the various intellectual factions. The author has done his homework by reading the original sources, analyzing and synthesizing them in an easy-to-read book. This book will be of great interest to the Western intellectuals and scholars as well as to the Iranians interested in tracing the roots of their worldviews. For the latter, it should be noted, that the book has also been translated into Persian (Roshanfekran-e Irani va Gharb, by Jamshid Shirazi, Farzan Pub., Tehran, 1378).