Emergence of Iranian Nationalism

Reza Zia-Ebrahimi is lecturer (assistant professor) in history at King's College London.

The Emergence of Iranian Nationalism breaks new ground in the study of recent Iranian history. It reveals and analyzes the dirty little secret of Iranian nationalism, namely that it contains a racist dimension. It is not only a well-researched and well-written book, it is also a courageous book. -- Houchang Chehabi, Boston University The Emergence of Iranian Nationalism is a major contribution to the intellectual history of modern Iran. Reza Zia-Ebrahimi has brought into critical focus some of the most pious and intractable certainties that have long defined the ideology of Iranian nationalism. Both erudite and iconoclastic, this book is sure to stir much contentious debate. -- Afshin Marashi, author of Nationalizing Iran: Culture, Power, and the State, 1870-1940 Zia-Ebrahimi persuasively argues that the texts of a few writers furnished the basis of a nationalist ideology asserting the Aryan essence of an ancient nation, an ideology taken up by Iran's Pahlavi rulers and still significant. His book is a substantial contribution to modern Iranian history and has relevance beyond the field of Iranian studies. Zia-Ebrahimi's argument is related to key debates in the field of nationalism studies and his methods can be illuminatingly applied to other cases. -- John Breuilly, London School of Economics The Emergence of Iranian Nationalism brings to final and definitive fruition a body of critical thinking about the origin and rise of Iranian nationalism deeply rooted in the Eurocentric racism of the nineteenth century. Zia-Ebrahimi lasers in on the crucial instantiations of this powerful ethnocentric construction of the nation, carefully dissecting and critically dismantling them. This is a must read and an exemplary piece of scholarship declaring the rise of a new generation of scholars who are overriding the cliches and hang-ups of their parental generation. -- Hamid Dabashi, Columbia University An important work and should be read by anyone interested in modern Iranian studies... Highly recommended. Choice This vital and meticulously researched book will serve as a challenge to scholars in Iranian studies and to Iranian intellectuals in general to more meaningfully engage with transnational critical race theories. International Journal of Middle East Studies

• Acknowledgments Note on Transliteration and Spelling Introduction 1. The Paleontology of Iranian Nationalism 2. Akhundzadeh and Kermani: The Emergence of Dislocative Nationalism 3. Pre-Islamic Iran and Archaistic Frenzy 4. Of Lizard Eaters and Invasions: The Import of European Racial Thought 5. Europe, That Feared Yet Admired Idol 6. Aryanism and Dislocation 7. The Road to Officialdom 8. Triumph Conclusion: The Failure of Dislocative Nationalism Notes Bibliography Index