Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has promoted a Shi'a Islamic identity aimed at transcending ethnic and national boundaries. During the same period, Iran's Armenian community, once a prominent Christian minority in Tehran, has declined by more than eighty percent. Although the Armenian community is recognised by the constitution and granted specific privileges under Iranian law, they do not share equal rights with their Shi'i Muslim compatriots. Drawing upon interviews conducted with members of the Armenian community and using sources in both Persian and Armenian languages, this book questions whether the Islamic Republic has failed or succeeded in fostering a cohesive identity which enables non-Muslims to feel a sense of belonging in this Islamic Republic. As state identities are also often key in exacerbating ethnic conflict, this book probes into the potential cleavage points for future social conflict in Iran.
Format: Paperback / softback
CONTRIBUTORS: James Barry
EAN: 9781108450324
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
PAGES:
WEIGHT: 520 g
HEIGHT: 230 cm
PUBLISHED BY: Cambridge University Press
DATE PUBLISHED: 2020-06-18
CITY:
GENRE: POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / General
WIDTH: 153 cm
SPINE:
Book Themes:
Armenia, Iran, Relating to Christian people and groups, Ethnic groups and multicultural studies, Social groups: religious groups and communities, Middle Eastern history, Social and cultural history, Interfaith relations
James Barry is an Associate Research Fellow in Anthropology at Deakin University, Victoria specialising in religious and ethnic minorities. He holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Monash University, Melbourne. His research focuses on the role of Islam in Iranian foreign policy and supports the work of the Chair of Islamic Studies. In addition to Iran, Barry has carried out fieldwork in Australia, Indonesia and the United States.
