Postgraduate Module Descriptor

ARAM210: Themes and Conflicts in Iranian History and Culture

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Module Aims

The module aims to give an overview of the prime themes, conflicts, events, and personalities of Iranian history, to give you a confident grasp of the main essentials, and to develop your abilities to research, analyse and discuss the political and historical questions involved. The module aims to develop your skills in using primary and secondary data and sources when evaluating or contextualizing issues in Iranian history and culture.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. Understand key issues over a broad sweep of Iranian history
2. Explain confidently the significance of personalities and events within the range of the module
Discipline-Specific Skills3. Find, use and analyse secondary and primary data relevant to specific issue areas
4. Place issues discussed in a wider context and deploy critical arguments.
Personal and Key Skills5. Apply critical and analytical skills through readings, class discussions and presentations
6. Enhance your ability to undertake historical and political analysis.

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Ervand Abrahamian, Iran between Two Revolutions, Princeton 1982 

Yann Richard, Iran, Cambridge, 2019

Ali Ansari, Modern Iran Since 1797, London, 2019

A J Arberry, Classical Persian Literature, London 1958 (reprinted 2004) 

Michael Axworthy, Iran: Empire of the Mind, London (Penguin) 2008 

The Cambridge History of Iran (7 vols) (various authors)

Richard N Frye, The Golden Age of Persia, London, 1975

Marshall G S Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, Chicago, 1974 

Nikki Keddie, Modern Iran: Roots and Results of Revolution, Yale, 2006 

Ann K S Lambton, Landlord and Peasant in Persia, London, 1991

David Menashri, Post-Revolutionary Politics in Iran: Religion, Society and Power, London, 2001

Baqer Moin, Khomeini: Life of the Ayatollah, London, 1999

Roy Mottahedeh, The Mantle of the Prophet, Harmondsworth (Penguin), 1987

Reza Saberi, A Thousand Years of Persian Rubaiyat, Bethesda, 2000 

The Idea of Iran, various authors in volumes, Tauris, 2002-