Democracy in Iran: History and the Quest for Liberty (Hardcover)

by Ali Gheissari (Author), Vali Nasr (Author)
Key Phrases: war fundamentalism, conservative consolidation, pragmatic conservatives, Islamic Republic, Reza Shah, Supreme Leader (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Few countries today appear so erratic and unknowable as Iran, where Islamist president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's increasingly militant pronouncements keep leaders awake at night from Washington to Paris. Despite President Bush's assertion that the spread of democracy will sweep away intolerance in the Muslim world, Ahmadinejad's ascent represented a sharp popular rebuke to the republic's clerical establishment. Gheissari, a history professor, and Nasr, a professor of Middle East and South Asian politics, both of whom have written widely about Iran, attempt to determine the boundaries of Tehran's democratic culture and institutions in this political and intellectual history. Their project is only partly successful, however, given the authors' persistent blind spots. They assert that "in many regards, there is more progress toward democracy in Iran than in any other country in the Middle East, perhaps with the exception of Turkey," which would be highly suspect even if one accepted the Iranian position that Israel does not exist. In their detailed dissection of Ahmadinejad's election, they make little of the fact that reformers and liberals largely boycotted the vote. Despite its flaws, Gheissari and Nasr's book offers a revealing glimpse into the paths that democratic ideas have traveled there both before and after the 1979 revolution. (June)
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Review
"If ever policymakers in Washington needed a thoughtful account of Iran's experiments with pluralism and democracy, now is the time." -- The Economist

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (June 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195189671
• ISBN-13: 978-0195189674
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #403,585 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Global democracy, September 3, 2006

By	Jay Poppenhusen "communication scientist" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I went to the eye doctor years ago and told him I had problem with my right eye. He began to look at my left eye. I said to him . . . no that is not the one giving me the problem. The eye doctor became frustrated and said to me "How can I possibly know what is wrong with your right eye without looking at both . . . do you not understand that they are connected."
The authors demonstrate that Iran has had something to do with democracy at least as far back as 1906. Even if you are not interested in Iran you should read this book to more fully understand Western democracy . . . and to understand how global democracy is taking shape.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good account of Iran, June 7, 2006

By	Rasli "Rasli" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

I have read many books on Iran. I liked this one. It is readable and very insightful. There are many new facts in it, and it interprets Iran's history from a new perspective and at times with views that are different from those commonly held. I found it to be balanced, and when it comes to democracy to provide a deep and historical view that goes beyond simple answers in media today. I recommend to anyone who wants to understand Iran.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended, August 5, 2007

By	Booklover "booklover" (Boise) - See all my reviews

This a serious and smart book about the history of democracy in a Muslim country. It shows that democracy is not a new idea for Iranians. They have debated and experimented with it, and why they have failed to become democratic has more to do with political developments in that country than any other issue. The authors do a good job of explaining the weight of historical developments in how democracy develops and why its succeeds or fails. A good news in this book is that despite its harsh government there is more debate and interest in democracy than at any other time in recent Iranian history, and more Iranians now see it as a practical idea than before.