Themes and Conflicts in Iranian History and Culture
| Module title | Themes and Conflicts in Iranian History and Culture |
|---|---|
| Module code | ARAM210 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Professor Sajjad Rizvi (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 5 |
|---|
Module description
This module provides you with a detailed and critical insight into Iranian history and culture. We will cover the broad sweep of Iranian history from the ancient heritage through the rise of Islam all the way through to the modern period in the post-revolutionary age. The module is taught by a colleague who actively researches in this area, and you will be encouraged to form your own views and engage critically with the available research. The module is part of the Iranian studies pathway, but is suitable for any eligible students wishing to learn more about Iranian history and culture.
Module aims - intentions of the module
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)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. 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
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. 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.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Apply critical and analytical skills through readings, class discussions and presentations
- 6. Enhance your ability to undertake historical and political analysis.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
Pre-Islamic Iran; devolved rule, religion and the nature of kingship
The Islamic conquest; Continuity and change; perceptions and significance
Invasions and resurgence from Seljuk to Timurid (c900 AD to 1450)
Sufism and the great Persian poets
The Safavids and the nature of Iranian Shiism
Nader Shah and the 18th century interregnum
The Qajars and the Constitutional Revolution; humiliation and liberalism
Reza Shah, the army and development
Writers and intellectual movements in the twentieth century
Mohammad Reza Shah, Mossadeq and Khomeini
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 278 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 22 | 11 x 2 hour seminars |
| Guided independent study | 120 | Readings for class |
| 40 | Preparation of presentations | |
| 118 | Research and writing of 2 essays |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly presentations | Weekly | 1-6 | Verbal feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | 50 | 4,000 words | 1-6 | Mark with written comments |
| Essay 2 | 50 | 4,000 words | 1-6 | Mark with written comments |
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | Essay (4,000 words) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment period |
| Essay 2 | Essay (4,000 words) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
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-
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Encyclopedia Iranica (http://www.iranica.com/)
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/10/2011 |
| Last revision date | 21/08/2019 |
