Bloomsbury Women and Politics in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Action and Reaction

Women and Politics in the Islamic Republic of Iran looks at the rise and role of female activism in Iran since the 1979 Revolution. Since 1979 women have played a decisive role in elections and assumed political posts. This study assesses this role as well as the impact of domestic and international policies on women's activism, highlighting the contradictions between politics and religion within the Islamic Republic. It also seeks to evaluate political and economic developments and the transformations in civil society, including the development of a gender conscious society. Women and Politics in the Islamic Republic of Iran features original research by Sanam Vakil, an Iranian-American scholar, who conducted interviews with women activists, politicians, journalists, clerics and students in Iran, Europe and the U.S. and used primary sources to specifically links women's activism to the domestic political changes in Iran. The book will be an essential resource for anyone studying Iranian politics and seeking to understand better the internal political and social dynamics in Iran and the critical role that women play. Review "Women in today's Iran are the main indicators of socio-political changes. The dynamics of the last three decades in Iran can be traced through the lives of its women. Since the female body is a significant subject in Iran's politics, women's history can also be read as the story of Islamic Republic's failures and achievements, and, in particular, the unintentional consequences of its gender policies. Sanam Vakili's book is an analytical and historical narrative of Iranian women's path toward emancipation and self-creation, with all its complexity, discontinuity, risks and rewards. Her well-researched book is a concise, accessible, comprehensive and eloquent account of the unique struggle for Iranian women's rights. And finally Vakili's book depicts a future for Iranian society that is shaped, more than anything else, by women's self-consciousness and agency. A must-read for all who are interested in knowing the heart of social dynamism and the ironic nature of Islamic ideology in post-revolution Iran." -Mehdi Khalaji; senior fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy."Dr. Sanam Vakil has written a first-rate and highly perceptive book about the role and status of women in the Islamic Republican of Iran. Based on many personal interviews with Iranian officials and woman activists in Iran, she persuasively argues that women, far from being passive bystanders, continue to be on the frontline challenging the Islamic Republic, demanding gender equality, and pushing the country toward the much-needed political reform. The book is cogently argued, lucidly written, and thoroughly researched. It is a must reading for those interested in learning about the dynamics and nuances of revolutionary Iran. In writing the book, Dr. Sanam Vakil has established herself as one of the leading scholars on women's movements in contemporary Iran." - Mohsen M. Milani, Professor and Chair, Department of Government & International Affairs, USF."So many authors guess about Iran, but Sanam Vakil knows that country and its way as precious few other authors do. She journeyed to that country often, and has returned with a remarkable book of its women, and of their quest for modernity and meaning. A first-rate book written with poise and sympathy and genuine authority." - Fouad Ajami, Professor and director of Middle East Studies at The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a Senior Fellow at The Hoover Institution, Stanford University."This is a fascinating account of the struggle of Iranian women for rights in the last hundred years, with a strong emphasis on the ebbs and flows of the last thirty years. A living testament to Iranian women's relentless quest for equality. A must read." -Haleh Esfandiari, author of My Prison, My Home: One Woman's Story of Captivity in Iran