Before the Revolution In 19 th and early 20 th century,
Decentralized system of enforcing Sharia Pahlavi dynastic rule from
19211979, Reza Shah and his son Mohammad Reza Shah Mohammad
Musaddiq elected in 1950, but Mohammed Reza Shah put back into
power in a 1953 CIA-led coup In 1960s, Mohammad Reza Shah
introduced the White Revolution land reform, social and economic
modernization policies, including secularization measures
Slide 3
Iran became the only country directly ruled by clergy
Constitution mixed principles of democracy, theocracy,
representative government and guardianship of the jurist Khomeini
introduced concept of the Viliyat-i Faqih, a system in which senior
jurist has primary political power Council of Guardians decides if
legislation passed by the majlis (parliament) conforms to Islamic
principles, has veto power and can ban candidates from running for
political office Zarurat, The Expediency Discernment Council
introduced 1988 1979 Revolution
Slide 4
Slide 5
After the Revolution The cultural revolution shut down
universities to orient them religiously Gender segregation, daily
prayers enforced Revolutionary guards on streets to enforce new
moral order Bayata severe, sober public space, lacking color and
spirit Gender gap increased, women and men barred from mixing in
public spaces, and women required to dress appropriately compulsory
veiling Daycare and family planning devalued by the government,
women more restricted to the home Men automatically to get custody
of children in divorce Restricted enrollment of women in
universities Attempts to develop an Islamic economy, neither
capitalist nor socialist
Slide 6
Family Courts Suspended the Family Protection Law, reinvented
Family Courts. Men were free to divorce their wives at will, while
women had to have a reason written into the marriage contract,
meeting certain criteria, to initiate divorce Men gained exclusive
custody of children. Restrictions on polygamy and temporary
marriage repealed The marriage age for girls was reduced to
puberty, which is age nine under Islamic law.
Slide 7
Penal Codes Quickly abolished prerevolutionary codes which drew
heavily from European models Attempted to codify and implement
Sharia 1982 Act of Hudud, Qisas, and other provisions and the Diyat
Act passed (fixed punishments, retribution, and compensation) 1983
Taazirat Act passed (laws of Discretionary Punishments) Sharia
codification limited the ability of judges to use their own
judgment in coming to a decision
Slide 8
Critiques of Iranian Government Clerical despotism, corruption,
faltering economy, suppression of dissent, harsh criminal justice,
has led to disillusionment and a rise in anti-clericalism Rise in
intellectuals questioning the rule by clerics New dialogue about
the meaning of Islamic law from within Iran Many Iranian
intellectuals left Iran Paradoxes of Islamic state gave
post-Islamist movement some currency with religious scholars Ulama
losing independence, as Supreme Leader could impose interpretation
on them, overseeing their decisions
Slide 9
Post-Islamism Movement started following Khomeinis death in
1989 Bayat defines movement as: a series of remarkable and
intellectual movements driven by younger generations, students,
women and religious intellectuals, and a new perception of urban
space that would shape Irans political and social course in the
years to come (Bayat 55). Calls for pluralism, democracy as well as
religious ethics By the late 1980s, Islamists had alienated the
majority of youth, women and the middle class Redesign of Tehran in
1990s transformed it from former dark image to having cultural
centers, parks, and shopping malls Helped to link the once divided
North and South Parks, new urban spaces encouraged dialogue and
increased citizenry Islamists worried about new urban identity
Slide 10
Youth and Student Movement Rise in depression and anxiety
following the war with Iraq (1980-1988) as well as a result of
increased surveillance following the revolution Call for a right to
happiness DTV, once a vehicle of the state, becomes more oriented
towards democratic ideals Social control of college campuses With
1997 elections, became a mass movement
Slide 11
Gained momentum in the 1990s Middle class women greatly
impacted by Revolution policies discriminatory education, work
quotas During Iran-Iraq war questions over womens role were mostly
suppressed, but by late 1980s, but this changed with increased role
as economic conditions made it necessary for more women to be in
public spaces Challenged patriarchal readings of Quran In 2006,
launched campaignOne Million Signatures Demanding Changes to
Discriminatory Laws Womens Movement
Slide 12
Challenges to the Womens Movement Existing laws still reinforce
gender inequality The womens movement is fragmented, not large
scale, and doesnt have common demands and goals Fight for rights on
more of an individual basis Bayat calls it a non-movementslowly
making progress through their public presence in more arenas,
slowly taking steps towards more equal treatment
Slide 13
Movement of Religious Intellectuals Helped to give a coherent
voice to social movement, giving it an ideological foundation
Challenging orthodox interpretations of sacred texts Emphasis on
reason, rights and religion Distinct from Islamist and secular
groups of the past Intellectual position supporting emphasis on
modernity, critical reasoning, human rights, liberty, human
dignity, science and free market economy republican theologyideals
of modernity, democracy and religiosity
Slide 14
Political Mobilization Tried to mobilize various civil society,
activist groups in order to translate it into political change
Nominated a post-Islamist intellectual to run for president in 1997
Mohammad Khatami was elected in 1997 and reformists took control of
the parliament in 2000 Thought that in this way they could bring
about change by mobilizing from belowwith activism of young,
students, women, middle class and negotiating from the top new
political presence
Slide 15
Reform Movement 1997-2004, diverse social forces with shared
goal of ending current system of clerical rule Second of Khurdad
Frontgroup of liberal religious groups as well as secular democrats
Coalition of 18 political groups that included professional
associations, student organizations, women activist and
intellectuals At the heart of movementthe Islamic Participation
Front (IPF) and the Organization of the Mujahidin of the Islamic
Revolution (OMIR) Included in the IPF: Association of Combatant
Clerics, the Students DTV, the workers party, other groups But most
of reform movement dominated by democratic minded groups wanting to
do away with current Vilayat-i Faqih model Debate within reformist
camp about how radical this change should be
Slide 16
During the Reformist Period Hope that with Khatami winning
election, he could lead Iran to a democratic future Some called it
a Second Revolution Came to office with a promise of bringing about
cultural and political reform and empowering civil society Allowed
youth to regain a presence in public spaces Student movement grew
rapidly Created institutions of civil society to consolidate
activism journalistic associations, employee and workers guilds,
NGOs Movement to develop a free press
Slide 17
Opposing the Reform Movement Conservatives warned that the
Reform movement posed an ideological crisis that posed threat to
Islamic system Ideas of religious pluralism, secularization and
democracy endangered the moral order Unofficial interpretations of
religious texts not authorized Warnings against a Martin Luther
protestant movement away from orthodox ideas of who has the right
to interpret Some clerics equated disobedience of the clerics to
disobeying Imam Ali, and by extension, God For some conservatives,
democracy is equal to being controlled by capital, consumerism, and
the West Need supreme leader and clergy to keep state within moral
boundaries
Slide 18
The Counter Reform Movement Like the reform movement,
conservative factions held varying political and economic
positions, but united in their opposition to reform Society of
Combatant Clerics at the heart of it, along with the 27 other
groups that make up conservative factions of the majlis Role of the
citizen is to support the state, not reform it Also supported by
the Ansar-i-Hizbollahmostly young war veterans, more extremist
leanings Islamist elites make up rentier classprivilege passed down
to offspring
Slide 19
Conservative Economic and Political Privilege What granted the
conservatives formidable power was not only their financial
resources, networks of clientelism and control of nonelected state
institutions, but that all of this power was safeguarded inside an
enclosed political structure that was designed to reproduce its
dominance (Bayat). Economic privilege due to control of religious
taxes, donations, and foundations Lack of oversight or control of
these funds, often corruption
Slide 20
Also control of informal credit associations and unofficial
banks that were run out of local mosques Managed to maintain their
support due to their control of religious organizations and by
providing jobs to supporters System reinforces conservative
dominancemore power rests with the Supreme Leader than the
President. How could reform movement overcome rules and a system
that can easily undermines the movement?
Slide 21
Taking Action Against the Reformists Vigilante groups would
(Pasdaran and Ansar-i Hizbullah among them) disrupt demonstrations,
meetings, lectures and rallies and violent actions taken against
reformists In 1998, the popular mayor of Tehran (Ghulam Husayn
Karbaschi) was put on trial for corruption Backlash against reform
press began immediately after Khatami was elected In 2000, Khamenei
declared that pro-reform journalism dangerous, and permitted the
judiciary to shut 14 reformist newspapers and magazines down When
parliament tried to amend Irans press laws, the Supreme Leader
blocked the changes BY 2007, hundreds of intellectuals, activists,
and journalists were arrested on anti-religious or anti-state
charges
Slide 22
Challenging Conservative Dominance Even with a majority in the
Parliament, difficult to pass any legislation, as Council of
Guardians has veto powercan paralyze parliament Tried to pass a
bill so that Council of Guardians wouldnt screen candidates for
Parliament, President, and Assembly of Experts, and so that the
President would be able to suspend rulings as unconstitutional,
especially those introduced by non-elected bodies Conservative
backlash against bill and was overturned by Council of Guardians A
judge sentence Hashim Aghajaria post-Islamist intellectual to death
for apostasy due to his support for Islamic Protestantism, sentence
overturned after riots
Slide 23
Decline and Legacy of Reform Movement Public frustrated with
lack of social power of reformists Political apathy by 7 th Majlis
elections Council of guardians disqualified half of the candidates
for parliamentary elections, mostly reformist candidates, but
eventually allowed 1/3 of eliminated candidates to run, but many
boycotted elections or resigned Political apathy allowed
conservatives to win parliamentary elections But reform movement
successful in challenging moral and political legitimacy of
conservative Islamists, even though it failed to dislodge them from
power Language of reform, ideas of Islam and democracy as
compatible in Iranian context Ideas of democracy, pluralism,
accountability, rule of law, tolerance more pervasive after this
period
Slide 24
Why The Reform Movement Failed Disappointment due to
institutional constraints Conservatives state had the power, but
lacked popular support while the Reform movement had vast popular
support, but its political power was limited by the structure of
the state Would have needed to neutralized the Pasdaran, Ansar-i
Hizbullah and courts in order to be more successful A stronger
social base was also needednot just the middle class, but
mobilizing the working classes Didnt address economic issues enough
Unions, workers associations werent given much attention, so not
truly a grassroots movement
Slide 25
Hassan Rouhani, moderate cleric elected Many citizens hoped
that the new President can Get Iran out of its malaise, caused not
only by a poor economy due to tough sanctions that the United
States and its allies have imposed on Iran that have hurt the lives
of tens of millions of Iranians, but also by vast corruption and
nepotism during Rouhani's predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's
administration, social and political repression, and international
isolation. (Muhammad Sahimi)Muhammad Sahimi June 2013
Elections
Slide 26
Use of Social Media in Politics Presidential candidates all
used twitter, and banned social media in order to reach voters
Email, twitter, Facebook have been banned since 2009 elections, and
remain closely monitored Government tries to slow internet speeds
to limit ability to organize protests, and limit use of social
media Social media cost effective, and reaches more peoplethe young
and educated especially
Slide 27
Underground Music Movement Music Movement since 1970s, but new
wave of Iran Rock since 1990s Largely in Farsi rather than English
and uniquely Iranian sound Musicians must get permission from the
government before they can play a show or release music
http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=U7L9y-Wmz1o http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=U7L9y-Wmz1o
Slide 28
References Baktiari, Bahman. "Iran: Shari'a Politics and the
Transformation of Islamic Law." Trans. Array Shari'a Politics:
Islamic Law and Society in the Modern World. Bloomington, Indiana :
Indiana University Press, 2011. 121-145. Print. Bayat, Asef. Making
Islam Democratic: Social Movements and the Post-Islamist Turn.
Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2007. 16-48,
49-135. Print. Juan, Cole. Engaging the Muslim World. New York:
Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. 193- 236. Print. Ghobadi, Bahman, dir. No
One Knows About Persian Cats. IFC Films, 2009. Film. 4 Dec 2013.
Leverett, Hillary Mann, and Flynt Leverett. "Rouhani won the
Iranian election. Get over it.." Al Jazeera. (2013): n. page. Web.
4 Dec. 2013.. Sahimi, Muhammad. "Make a deal with Rouhani: Iran has
hawks too." Al Jazeera. (2013): n. page. Print.. Powell, Jacob.
"Iran's candidates use forbidden media." (2013): n. page.
Print..