Although Iran is in the news on a regular basis, its portrayal is often incomplete, confusing, and opaque with a plethora of contradictory information about its structure at all levels—from its very geography to its body politic. Yet, Iran is a significant geopolitical entity with its own priorities, history, goals, and challenges in our constantly evolving world. By considering Iran holistically—its environment, ethno-religious-linguistic composition, economics, history, and politics; one can gain an understanding of the complexity of Iranian culture, society and polity. The course will give a context to better understand how Iran views itself, its geopolitical position, motives and constraints when interacting with various neighbors and world powers.
Continuing Education Units (CEU) : 0

You'll walk away with

• A view of Iran’s environment and geography and the challenges it faces in the context of environmental change in the 21st century
• An understanding of the composition of the Iranian ethnolinguistic structure and population
• An overview of the Shiite/Sunni differences and the effects on the social structure in Iran
• Familiarity with modern Iranian history (post-1906 Constitutional Revolution and the subsequent Islamic Revolution)
• A view of the potential economic/industrial strength of Iran in the region and how it deals with the various sanctions imposed on it
• A view of the role Iran is playing in the recent events in the Middle East

Ideal for

• Ideal for students who are interested in the current Middle East and a deeper understanding of the Iranian body politic
• People looking for a deeper understanding of how “Iran works” and how it views itself in the current world
• People with an interest in how Iran views itself vis a vis its neighbors and the rest of the world