The ''Great Satan'' vs. the ''Mad Mullahs'': How the United States and Iran Demonize Each Other

The United States and Iran have been estranged for 25 years. They have carried out a mutual process of demonization that is unprecedented in modern history, based on cultural hot buttons that have the power to galvanize the populations of both countries. Iranian leaders have characterized the United States as the Great Satan—an evil corruptor that pollutes society and destroys personal morality. American leaders characterize the members of the current government of the Islamic Republic of Iran as Mad Mullahs, wild-eyed and irrational. Giving a thorough account of the background of U.S.-Iranian relations, Beeman claims that the current accusations of both Iran and the United States are baseless, consisting largely of public invective and symbolic rhetoric according to their own mythologies of evil.American leaders characterize the members of the current government of the Islamic Republic of Iran as Mad Mullahs, wild-eyed and irrational. They accuse them of fomenting the hostage crisis, in which American embassy personnel were held for 444 days at the end of the Carter administration, dealing a severe blow to U.S. national honor. The Bush administration has further accused the Iranians of being part of an Axis of Evil on the basis of their alleged support of terrorists, oppression of women and minorities, and development of nuclear weapons. Giving a thorough account of the background of U.S.-Iranian relations, Beeman claims that the current accusations of both Iran and the United States are baseless, consisting largely of public invective and symbolic rhetoric according to their own mythologies of evil.

 

for More Than Twenty-five Years, The United States And Iran Have Been Diplomatically Estranged, Each Characterizing The Other Not Only As A Political Adversary, But Also As Devious, Threatening, And Essentially Evil. According To William O. Beeman’s Provocative Book, the “great Satan” Vs. The “mad Mullahs,” Such Demonization Is A Self-fulfilling Prophecy, As Both Countries Have Embraced Exactly The Policies And Rhetoric That Would Particularly Threaten Or Insult The Other. Drawing On His Experience As A Linguistic Anthropologist, Beeman Parses How Political Leaders Have Used Historical References, Religious Associations, And The Mythology Of Evil To Inflame Their Own Citizens Against The Foreign Country, And Proposes A Way Out Of This Dangerous Debacle.
 
“william Beeman’s Analysis Of Dissonant Perceptions Of Iran And The Usa Is Compelling And Important. . . . I Am Particularly Grateful For This Work.”—james Peacock, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
 
“[beeman] Is More Interested In Informing The Reader Than In Impressing His Peers. The Other Strength Of The Book Lies In The Author’s Knowledge Of Iranian History And Culture. . . . It Challenges The Reader And Forces Him To Question Stereotypes About Iran And Washington’s Perspective On The Country.”—abbas William Samii, middle East Journal

 

 

 

For more than twenty-five years, the United States and Iran have been diplomatically estranged, each characterizing the other not only as a political adversary, but also as devious, threatening, and essentially evil. According to William O. Beemans provocative book, The Great Satan vs. the Mad Mullahs, such demonization is a self-fulfilling prophecy, as both countries have embraced exactly the policies and rhetoric that would particularly threaten or insult the other. Drawing on his experience as a linguistic anthropologist, Beeman parses how political leaders have used historical references, religious associations, and the mythology of evil to inflame their own citizens against the foreign country, and proposes a way out of this dangerous debacle. William Beemans analysis of dissonant perceptions of Iran and the USA is compelling and important. . . . I am particularly grateful for this work.James Peacock, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [Beeman] is more interested in informing the reader than in impressing his peers. The other strength of the book lies in the authors knowledge of Iranian history and culture. . . . It challenges the reader and forces him to question stereotypes about Iran and Washingtons perspective on the country.Abbas William Samii, Middle East Journal Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 14 1. Discourse and Demonization......Page 16 2. American Myths......Page 28 3. Middle Eastern Myths......Page 38 4. Discourse and Rhetoric......Page 50 5. Images of the Great Satan......Page 64 6. Images of the Mad Mullah......Page 84 7. The Framework of U.S.-Iranian Relations: Modernization and Development as an Index of National Worth......Page 106 8. The Sins of the United States......Page 134 9. The Sins of Iran......Page 152 10. The Birth of Postmodern Conflict: How Iranian Media Came of Age......Page 180 11. Living with Iran: Resistance as Postmodern Discourse......Page 204 Notes......Page 232 Comprehensive Bibliography......Page 254 A......Page 288 B......Page 289 C......Page 291 E......Page 292 G......Page 293 H......Page 294 I......Page 295 K......Page 300 L......Page 301 M......Page 302 N......Page 304 P......Page 305 Q......Page 306 R......Page 307 S......Page 308 T......Page 309 W......Page 312 Z......Page 313

beeman (anthropology And Middle East Studies, Brown U.) Seeks To Understand The Cultural Underpinnings Of The Rhetoric Between Iran And The Us Since The 1979 Revolution Overthrowing The Shah. He Identifies The Master Myths Of Construction For The Other For The Two Countries And Then Discusses The Rhetorical Structures That The Us And Iran Use To Construct Dialogue With Each Other. Beeman Deals With The Dynamics Of Rhetoric That Resulted In Constructions Of Mad Mullahs And The Great Satan, With Wellsprings In The Respective Cultures Of The United States And Iran More Than In The Realities Of Historical And Political Events. He Concludes With A Strategy For Mutual Coexistence That Breaks Down Constructions Of The Other As Evil. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, Or

For over 25 years the US and Iran have been estranged, each characterising the other as dangerous, threatening and essentially evil. According to Beeman, such demonization is a self-fulfilling prophecy, as both countries have embraced exactly the policies and rhetoric that would threaten and insult the other