Iran Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Islamic Republic, 2 volume set

Iran dominates the media headlines once again and has taken center stage in the U.S. and European Union strategy toward the Middle East. A more nuanced understanding of Iranian society has assumed even greater significance and urgency. "Iran Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Islamic Republic" offers crucial insight for students and the general reader into an often misunderstood and complex country that is shrouded in mystery and misperception. Heir to a long history and a great culture and civilization, Iran embodies a rich, complex, and diverse mosaic that defines its national identity. Diversity is also the operative word that describes Iranian landscapes and geography, its multiple ethnic groups and their varied cultures and traditions, as well as the uneven and vastly different levels of economic and industrial development, conflicting political tendencies, and different and often contradictory social and cultural outlooks. Because of its tumultuous recent political history, Iran appears to encapsulate all of these internal differences and stark contrasts somewhat more distinctly than most of its neighbors. The 1978-1979 revolution transformed the society and culture in fundamental ways and redefined social life. It created new institutions of governance and Islamicized the culture, education and the legal system in an attempt to create a new society that would usher in the reign of piety and virtue. Yet, Islamization had to come to terms with pre-Islamic and illustrious Persian history and culture, as well as the realities of an interdependent, postmodern, globalized world in which, as a developing country, Iran resides in the periphery. Within this framework, the dynamics and complexity of social life in the Islamic Republic unfold. This encyclopedia is the source for up-to-date, authoritative information on a full range of critical topics of interest. Coverage of the Islamic Republic here falls into the general categories of history, politics, economics, society and culture. The most significant aspects of the life in Iran since the revolution-the era of the Islamic Republic so far-are stressed. The wide range of entries shows the richness and complexity of Iranian society, its multiple and varied facets, its expressions and outward manifestations, and its nuanced responses to political repression, instability, war, pervasive crisis and the chronic tension between modernity and tradition. Some of the entries designed to highlight these important phenomena revolve around the country's ethnic mosaic, the social role and position of women, veiling, the educational system, sports, intellectuals, the arts and artistic expression, literature, poetry, cuisine, healthcare, and the family. Other entries range from regionalism and urban development to the petroleum industry, agriculture, the banking system, issues of wealth and poverty, class structure and economic mobility, and the private sector. In a number of significant areas economic, social and cultural phenomena intersect. These intersections are reflected in entries on broadcasting and communications technology, the Internet, public relations, electronic and print media, and family planning and healthcare. A chronology, selected bibliography, and photos complement the entries. VOLUME ONE: A–K......Page 4 Contents......Page 8 Alphabetical List of Entries......Page 10 Topical List of Entries......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 14 Introduction......Page 16 A Note on Transliteration......Page 20 Chronology......Page 22 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA: A–K......Page 26 A......Page 28 B......Page 84 C......Page 112 E......Page 156 F......Page 226 G......Page 236 H......Page 242 I......Page 254 J......Page 284 K......Page 296 Selected Bibliography......Page 560 About the Editors and Contributors......Page 564 A......Page 568 C......Page 569 E......Page 570 G......Page 571 I......Page 572 K......Page 573 M......Page 574 N......Page 575 P......Page 576 S......Page 577 T......Page 578 Y......Page 579 Z......Page 580 VOLUME TWO: L–Z......Page 320 Contents......Page 324 Alphabetical List of Entries......Page 326 Topical List of Entries......Page 328 L......Page 330 M......Page 360 N......Page 382 O......Page 400 P......Page 406 Q......Page 446 R......Page 454 S......Page 490 T......Page 512 U......Page 528 V......Page 538 W......Page 550 VOLUME ONE: A–K 4 Contents 8 Alphabetical List of Entries 10 Topical List of Entries 12 Acknowledgments 14 Introduction 16 A Note on Transliteration 20 Chronology 22 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA: A–K 26 A 28 B 84 C 112 E 156 F 226 G 236 H 242 I 254 J 284 K 296 Selected Bibliography 560 About the Editors and Contributors 564 Index 568 A 568 B 569 C 569 D 570 E 570 F 571 G 571 H 572 I 572 J 573 K 573 L 574 M 574 N 575 O 576 P 576 Q 577 R 577 S 577 T 578 U 579 V 579 W 579 Y 579 Z 580 VOLUME TWO: L–Z 320 Contents 324 Alphabetical List of Entries 326 Topical List of Entries 328 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA: L–Z 330 L 330 M 360 N 382 O 400 P 406 Q 446 R 454 S 490 T 512 U 528 V 538 W 550 Selected Bibliography 560 About the Editors and Contributors 564 Index 568 A 568 B 569 C 569 D 570 E 570 F 571 G 571 H 572 I 572 J 573 K 573 L 574 M 574 N 575 O 576 P 576 Q 577 R 577 S 577 T 578 U 579 V 579 W 579 Y 579 Z 580 Scholars of political and other social sciences, many of them Iranians at US universities, explore aspects of daily life in Iran since the 1978-79 revolution that overthrew the US-installed dictator. The articles, with bylines and suggestions for further reading, look at people, industries, arts, politics, the economy, and other matters. Among specific topics are armed and security forces, Nobel Laureate law scholar Shirin Ebadi, Ruhollah Khomeini, the petroleum industry, relations with the Arab world, Islamic socialism, tribes, and the status of women. The two volumes are paged and indexed together. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) V. 1. A-k -- V. 2. L-z. Edited By Mehran Kamrava And Manochehr Dorraj. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 523-525) And Index.