Asian Languages & Civilization 241 - Iran: Revolution and Beyond

(Offered as ASLC 241 and HIST 241) Iran’s iconic 1979 revolution overthrew the country’s Western-backed monarch and gave birth to the modern Islamic Republic. It rocked the country and the world, keeping Iran in the headlines ever since. This course will explore key events and ideas in Iran’s history from the revolution to the present day, giving students insight into the Islamic Republic, its politics, and culture. We will learn about the country through the viewpoints of its influential clerics, varied ethnic and religious minority groups, protesters trying to effect change, women demanding equal rights, soldiers on the streets and borders, and clashes between conservatives and reformers debating the country’s future. The course will examine Iran’s relationships with global and regional actors, its tensions with the United States and Israel, and diplomatic engagement over its nuclear programme. Students will gain an understanding of the way power and identity function in a country that tends to be polarizing in both political opinion and the way it is represented. Meets twice weekly.

Spring semester. Visiting Professor Amir

How to handle overenrollment: HIST majors, then to first-years, second-years, and so on.

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Close analysis of historical evidence, which may include written documents, images, music, films, or statistics from the historical period under study. Exploration of scholarly, methodological, and theoretical debates about historical topics. Extensive reading, varying forms of written work, and intensive in-class discussions.