Imagining Iran : The Tragedy of Subaltern Nationalism

Contested Iranianness -- The emergence of modern Iranian nationalism -- Subaltern developmentalism : Reza Shah's reign (1921-1941) -- Imperial interventions (1941 and 1953) -- Formation of a hegemonic national opposition (1953-1978) -- The Islamic Republic : the creation of an Islamic Iranian subject -- Consolidation of the state power but crisis in national identity -- Islamic nationalism redefined -- Official nationalism in practice : seduction of othering -- Conclusion Thematically, this book problematizes Iranian official nationalism. It reviews how every modern Iranian regime since the constitutional revolution of the 1905-06 has failed to legitimize its official identity, resulting in the fall of five different regimes. The book details how the collapse of each regime resulted in the interruption of the official meaning of being Iranian, as well as the meanings of its enemies. What remained the same was how every Iranian regime represented itself as the agent of a particular national desire defined in terms of making Iran to become sovereign, developed, democratic, and constitutional. Nonetheless, no regime was able to convince a great majority of the people that it achieved what it represented. This book makes three specific contributions. The first contribution is pedagogical. By focusing on the dynamics of regime changes, it provides a heuristic model for identifying challenges that all Iranian regimes have faced. Moreover, the book is a comprehensive review of the disruptive, oppressive, and bloody nature of the rise and fall of different regimes. The second contribution is theoretical. Rather than examining the behavior of various Iranian regimes in isolation from their international context, the book examines how each regime got to understand itself in relations to its imperial others. By examining the governmental rationality of each regime, the book offers a better theoretical framework for understanding political development not only in Iran, but also in all other Middle Eastern and South Asian states. Finally, the third contribution of this book is its critical approach to the main body of the literature on Iran, modernity, development, democracy, and constitutionalism. Cover 1 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Contents 8 Preface 10 A Note on the Transliteration 14 Chapter One: Contested Iranianness 16 Chapter Two: The Emergence of Modern Iranian Nationalism 46 Chapter Three: Subaltern Developmentalism 78 Chapter Four: Imperial Interventions (1941 and 1953) 106 Chapter Five: Formation of a Hegemonic National Opposition (1953–1978) 146 Chapter Six: The Islamic Republic 180 Chapter Seven: Consolidation of the State Power But Crisis in National Identity 216 Chapter Eight: Islamic Nationalism Redefined 252 Chapter Nine: Official Nationalism in Practice 290 Conclusion 330 Bibliography 348 Index 356 About the Author 374 The thematic focus of this book is the tragic yet inevitable effects of subaltern nationalism. The book covers the systemic challenges that all modern Iranian regimes have faced in establishing a sovereign, developed, democratic, and constitutional nation-state.