Social Movements in Twentieth-Century Iran: Culture, Ideology, and Mobilizing Frameworks

by Stephen C. Poulson

Overview

In this work Stephen C. Poulson, a scholar of collective action and social movements, investigates cycles of social protest in Iran from 1890 to the present era. He illuminates the following social movements: the 1890-1892 Tobacco Movement; the 1906-1909 Constitutional Revolution; two post-World War II movements, the Tudeh (Masses) and the National Front; the 1963 Qom Protest; and the 1978-1979 Iranian Revolution. These movements confronted two primary questions: How should the Iranian state achieve independence in the world and what rights should individual Iranians enjoy in their political and social system? Poulson examines the framing of these questions and their answers by various Iranian political actors over time, revealing both continuity and change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780739117576
Publisher:	Lexington Books
Publication date:	09/08/2006
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	350
Product dimensions:	6.26(w) x 9.04(h) x 1.08(d)

About the Author

Stephen C. Poulson is Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at James Madison University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Foundations of Social Movement Theory Part 3 Part I: Culture, Social Structure, and Unifying Narratives in Twentieth Century Iran Chapter 4 Culture and Anchoring Social Movement Narratives in Islamic History Chapter 5 Culture and Traditional Forms of Symbolic Protest in Iranian History Chapter 6 Social Structure: Relations Between the Religious Elite, the Bazaar, the State, and the Crowd in Iran Chapter 7 Social Structure: British and Russian Intervention in Iran Part 8 Part II: Cycles of Protest and the Negotiation of Movement Frames in Twentieth Century Iran Chapter 9 The Tobacco Movement (1890-1892) Chapter 10 The Constitutional Revolution (1906-1909) Chapter 11 Post World War II Nationalist Movements: The Tudeh and the National Front (1944-1953) Chapter 12 Ideology and Movement Frames of the Iranian Religious Revival (1962-1978) Chapter 13 Post-Revolutionary Movements in Modern Iran Chapter 14 A Century of Social Movements in Iran

Editorial Reviews

Social Movements in Twentieth-Century Iran chronicles the development, use, and modification of various master frames during cycles of protest from 1890 to the present. It is an insightful analysis of major social movements during this period, and particularly of the relevance of culture and framing processes and their intersection. A useful book for those interested in Iranian collective action and the analytic utility of contemporary social movement theorizing and perspectives.

David A. Snow

This book is a good review of the history of political protest, social movements, and political Islam in Iran, as well as a good overview of the literature on these subjects. Summing Up: Highly Recommended. All levels/libraries.

CHOICE - A. Mahdi

Until recently, social movement theory and research focused almost entirely on Western movements. Social Movements in Twentieth-Century Iran shows how one set of movements 'worked' where the state, other structural elements, and culture differed dramatically from the West, even while Western ideas and meddling shaped them. Poulson's highly readable book is important for students of social movements and also for others who want to better understand this country that is so closely related to current global conflicts yet so crudely caricatured in our media.

Dale W. Wimberly

This book is a good review of the history of political protest, social movements, and political Islam in Iran, as well as a good overview of the literature on these subjects. Summing Up: Highly Recommended. All levels/libraries.
— A. Mahdi, Ohio Wesleyan University

Choice

This book is a good review of the history of political protest, social movements, and political Islam in Iran, as well as a good overview of the literature on these subjects. Summing Up: Highly Recommended. All levels/libraries.

Choice Reviews - A. Mahdi

Until recently, social movement theory and research focused almost entirely on Western movements. Social Movements in Twentieth-Century Iran shows how one set of movements 'worked' where the state, other structural elements, and culture differed dramatically from the West, even while Western ideas and meddling shaped them. Poulson's highly readable book is important for students of social movements and also for others who want to better understand this country that is so closely related to current global conflicts yet so crudely caricatured in our media.--Dale W. Wimberly, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

This book is a good review of the history of political protest, social movements, and political Islam in Iran, as well as a good overview of the literature on these subjects. Summing Up: Highly Recommended. All levels/libraries.--A. Mahdi, Ohio Wesleyan University "CHOICE "

Social Movements in Twentieth-Century Iran chronicles the development, use, and modification of various master frames during cycles of protest from 1890 to the present. It is an insightful analysis of major social movements during this period, and particularly of the relevance of culture and framing processes and their intersection. A useful book for those interested in Iranian collective action and the analytic utility of contemporary social movement theorizing and perspectives.--David A. Snow, University of California, Irvine

From the Publisher