Women and Politics in the Islamic Republic of Iran looks at the rise and role of female activism in Iran since the 1979 Revolution. Since 1979 women have played a decisive role in elections and assumed political posts. This study assesses this role as well as the impact of domestic and international policies on women's activism, highlighting the contradictions between politics and religion within the Islamic Republic. It also seeks to evaluate political and economic developments and the transformations in civil society, including the development of a gender conscious society. Women and Politics in the Islamic Republic of Iran features original research by Sanam Vakil, an Iranian-American scholar, who conducted interviews with women activists, politicians, journalists, clerics and students in Iran, Europe and the U.S. and used primary sources to specifically links women's activism to the domestic political changes in Iran. The book will be an essential resource for anyone studying Iranian politics and seeking to understand better the internal political and social dynamics in Iran and the critical role that women play.

Author Biography

Sanam Vakil is Adjunct Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Bologna. She also taught at SAIS in Washington, D.C., was a research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a consultant to the World Bank. Born in Tehran, Iran, Dr. Vakil has published commentaries in many papers, including the Financial Times and the Washington Quarterly. She has consulted on Middle Eastern affairs for BBC, CNN, NPR and ABC.