The Iranian Revolution: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

In this thesis the following question is researched: What are the cultural-political effects of the Iranian revolution of 1979? This is done by taking an interdisciplinary approach. The three disciplines: religious studies, literary studies, and human/political geography are used to research the above question. Human/political geography addresses the following sub questions: How are the effects of the revolution shaped by its geopolitical context? / How did Iran’s geopolitical code develop in the decades after the revolution? / How did the geopolitical codes of other, powerful, countries change considering Iran after the revolution and how did this affect Iranian politics? Religious studies addresses the following sub questions: How did Shi’a Islam develop in Islamic history? / In what way did the concept of ‘Velayat-e faqih’ revolutionize Islamic thinking? / How did Shi’a Islam become a full political force? Literary studies addresses the following sub question: What effects did the Iranian revolution of 1979 have on Iranian literature and its role in Iranian society? The insights gained from these separate studies are then integrated to come to a comprehensive understanding of and conclusion on the subject.