Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has promoted a Shi'a Islamic identity aimed at transcending ethnic and national boundaries. During the same period, Iran's Armenian community, once a prominent Christian minority in Tehran, has declined by more than eighty percent. Although the Armenian community is recognised by the constitution and granted specific privileges under Iranian law, they do not share equal rights with their Shi'i Muslim compatriots. Drawing upon interviews conducted with members of the Armenian community and using sources in both Persian and Armenian languages, this book questions whether the Islamic Republic has failed or succeeded in fostering a cohesive identity which enables non-Muslims to feel a sense of belonging in this Islamic Republic. As state identities are also often key in exacerbating ethnic conflict, this book probes into the potential cleavage points for future social conflict in Iran.
By:
James Barry (Deakin University Victoria)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 230mm,
Width: 153mm,
Spine: 20mm
Weight: 520g
ISBN: 9781108450324
ISBN 10: 1108450326
Pages: 324
Publication Date: 18 June 2020
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction; 1. Iranism, Islam and Armenian-ness in Iran; 2. Education and the construction of Armenian Iran; 3. Discrimination, status and response; 4. Stereotyping and identity; 5. Performing Armenian-ness in Tehran; 6. Identity and emigration; Conclusion.
James Barry is an Associate Research Fellow in Anthropology at Deakin University, Victoria specialising in religious and ethnic minorities. He holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Monash University, Melbourne. His research focuses on the role of Islam in Iranian foreign policy and supports the work of the Chair of Islamic Studies. In addition to Iran, Barry has carried out fieldwork in Australia, Indonesia and the United States.
