Marmulak/Lizard

I hope you all enjoyed the film we screened today.

Let us know what you thought about the film and its themes. How does it connect to some of the themes we have spoken about in class? For some of you that had little contact with Iranian culture before, what are you taking away from this film? Please no plot summary guys.

Good luck on your papers and we will keep you posted on the status of Mr. Maz Jobrani.

-Amir

Final Paper Spring 08

Instructions: You must write a 3-5 page essay responding to one of the topics below. The essay must be double spaced, in 12 point Times New Roman font, with 1 inch margins. You must also have a cover page which will include your name, your student ID number, your blog screename, the number of the essay topic you are responding to, and the title of your essay. Additionally on the cover page you must also indicate which three postings you commented on in the blog (and any additional postings made to excuse absences etc…). Giving the title of the posting is enough. In order to pass this class you must complete three blog postings and this essay.

For the essays we want you to make a strong argument which you will support with evidence. Your argument must be made clear in your intro paragraph. You must also support every claim you make with a reference. (For example, you can’t just say a government is repressive without having something to back you up.) You must cite an article from the reader at least once. You may also feel free to use any outside resource you please, except wikipedia. You must include a bibliography at the end of your essay.

A hardcopy of your essay is due at the beginning of the final class session, April 29th 2008. E-mail copies will not be accepted. You may turn in the essay earlier if you please.

Topics:
1. Describe the system of concessions during the Qajar period in Iran. How did this impact the 1906 Constitutional Revolution?

2. Discuss how the U.S. government both benefited from, and was eventually repudiated for, the 1953 coup d'état against Mohammad Mossadegh. Be sure to include information regarding Cold War politics and how it legitimated the intervention.

3. Describe some of the events that contributed to the culmination of the Revolution of 1979. What inspired the Revolution? What components of the Shah’s program did people oppose?

4. “It was Iran against the world” is a statement that is constantly used to describe the Iran-Iraq war. To what extent is this true? Describe the support given to both Iran and Iraq during the war. Make sure to also discuss the controversy surrounding the Iran-Contra affair.

5. Describe the powers of the Supreme Leader. How have his actions colored the presidencies of Rafsanjani, Khatami, and Ahmadinejad?

6. Make a judgment on Ahmadinejad’s tenure as the President of Iran. What have been his accomplishments and what have been his mistakes? Be sure to discuss both his domestic and foreign agendas.

7. Should Iran be allowed to continue its nuclear program? Keep in mind Iran’s domestic needs, its stated intentions, and the possible threats the program poses.

8. Discuss the American media’s current portrayal of Iran and its government. How accurate is the portrayal? What are the consequences of this portrayal?

9. Should Iran be an Islamic Republic? Why or why not? What are the benefits and drawbacks of this form or government versus the benefits and drawbacks of other forms of government? You may suggest alternative government styles, but you must also comment on their feasibility in the Iranian context.

10. Topic of your choice. You must have this approved by us before writing your essay. Either speak to us in class or give us an e-mail.


Feel free to talk to us about your essays. We are always here to answer your questions. Good luck!

-Amir

Human Rights Abuse in Iran

Tonight we were confronted by a very sticky, yet important, issue in Iran: human rights abuses. What was said is that the Iranian government has systematically tortured, jailed and executed dissidents without due process of law in many cases. But there's much more to it than that and I don't feel like we addressed your questions sufficiently. So I feel obligated at this point to direct you to more reliable, substantive sources. Check out this coverage by the Human Rights Watch. Also, check out this short article by Amnesty International. If you're interested in writing about this for your final paper, please email us with you specific topic.

Again, I encourage ALL of you to search further in the topic of human rights in Iran. A lot is shrouded in mystery, but most of the cases cannot be denied by the Islamic Republic.

- Keyan

Iran's Nuclear Challenge

Hey Class,

This week's topic was Iran's highly-contested nuclear program. Unfortunately, we had to condense our lecture into 2 hours, so we weren't able to listen to all your questions, concerns and opinions. Now you have the opportunity express them in your comments. If needed, here are some questions to guide you:

- Dariush Zahedi said that Iran might be trying to "pre-empt a preemptive strike." Do you think this is a good idea? What are some of the consequences?

- How does the nuclear issue relate to, and shape, the national psyche?

- What are some of the domestic economic benefits? (Please assume that Iran will not invest in it's capacity to refine oil and will continue importing.)

- Lastly, how does this issue impact the delicate balance of powers in the region? What could happen if the United States (or Israel, or both) strikes Iran?

See you next week,

Keyan

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Hello class. The topic for this week was, of course, President Ahmadinejad. You guys definitely have some strong opinions about him.

You will need to comment on Ahmadinejad's letter to Americans. The link to it is on the left, under the link menu.

Basically, as an American, or at least someone who currently resides here, what is your reaction to this letter? What would you like to say to him as a reply?

Be sure to come up with some issues that came up this week in lecture.

Have a good break!

-Amir

The Rise and Fall of the Reformists

This week consisted of Khatami and the reform movement in Iran. For this post, you will need to answer at least one of the following three questions:

1. Describe some of the impediments Khatami experienced during his presidency. Why did the reformists "fall," so to speak? What is it about the Iranian power structure that hindered his efforts?

2. Do you feel that the "dialogue of civilizations" is an idea that can succeed in the world we live in? Does it deviate from our Western mode of thinking? Use citations from Khatami's text, located in the reader.

3. Do you think Khatami made the right choice by not overtly supporting the student uprising of 1999? What could have been some consequences?

A Glimpse into Friday's Parliamentary Elections

Here are the voices of five Iranian voters who during the course of their interviews reveal their political preferences and are critical of the election process. The content of the interviews is related to what I was saying about ex-President Khatami and his reformist bloc during yesterday's lecture. You can still find indications of people investing confidence and hope in the reformist candidates (who have been extremely limited due to the Guardian Council's disqualifications), but are mostly skeptical about their chances of being able to implement bills that would change the system.
Let us know what you think of these interviews either through the comments section on this blog or in class on Tuesday!
The interviews can be accessed through: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/7256509.stm
- Keyan

Iran: New parliment, new policies?

Hey guys. I'm sorry we couldn't finish the lecture today, its apparent that I talk too much.

This article is from the Economist, and it ties quite nicely into the contemporary Iranian government structure that we were talking about today. It also serves to give you guys a taste of what is to come in the future of the course.

Just read the article and give us your thoughts. You guys had some great comments this week so I trust that this will be interesting.

Good luck on midterms and see you next week.

-Amir