Synopses & Reviews
In 1978, as the protests against the Shah of Iran reached their zenith, philosopher Michel Foucault was working as a special correspondent for
Corriere della Sera and
le Nouvel Observateur. During his little-known stint as a journalist, Foucault traveled to Iran, met with leaders like Ayatollah Khomeini, and wrote a series of articles on the revolution.
Foucault and the Iranian Revolution is the first book-length analysis of these essays on Iran, the majority of which have never before appeared in English. Accompanying the analysis are annotated translations of the Iran writings in their entirety and the at times blistering responses from such contemporaneous critics as Middle East scholar Maxime Rodinson as well as comments on the revolution by feminist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir.
In this important and controversial account, Janet Afary and Kevin B. Anderson illuminate Foucault's support of the Islamist movement. They also show how Foucault's experiences in Iran contributed to a turning point in his thought, influencing his ideas on the Enlightenment, homosexuality, and his search for political spirituality. Foucault and the Iranian Revolution informs current discussion on the divisions that have reemerged among Western intellectuals over the response to radical Islamism after September 11. Foucault's provocative writings are thus essential for understanding the history and the future of the West's relationship with Iran and, more generally, to political Islam. In their examination of these journalistic pieces, Afary and Anderson offer a surprising glimpse into the mind of a celebrated thinker.
Review
"Foucault and the Iranian Revolution provides an original and groundbreaking exaaamination of Foucault's writing on Iran in the context of his intense interrogation of the differences between modern and traditional social orders. Providing a rich dossier containing translations of Foucault's relatively unknown writings on the Iranian revolution and his critics' responses, Afary and Anderson provide new insights into Foucault's work and the ongoing confrontation between the Muslim world and the West."--Douglas Kellner, author of From 9/11 to Terror War: The Dangers of the Bush Legacy(Douglas Kellner, author of From 9/11 to Terror War)
Review
"This is an important and extremely timely book. For decades there has been debaaate, sometimes hushed, sometimes bitter, about Michel Foucault's celebration of the Iranian revolution. What we have lacked is documentary evidence of what was said, and by whom. Afary and Anderson have provided an immense service by translating the relevant writings by Foucault and, more significantly, his critics. The story that emerges from the translations and the thoughtful, measured analysis of them is gripping."--Mark Lilla, author of The Reckless Mind: Intellectuals in Politics(Mark Lilla, author of The Reckless Mind: Intellectuals in Politics)
Synopsis
Philosopher Michel Foucault was working as a special correspondent for Corriere della Sera and Le Nouvel Observateur in 1978 when the protests against the shah of Iran reached their zenith. During this little-known stint as a journalist, Foucault traveled to Iran, met with leaders like Ayatollah Khomeini, and wrote a series of articles on the revolution. Foucault and the Iranian Revolution is the first book-length analysis of these essays on Iran, the majority of which have never before appeared in English. These provocative writings, included here in their entirety as annotated translations, are essential for understanding the history and the future of the West's relationship with Iran and, more generally, to political Islam.
About the Author
Janet Afary is associate professor of history and women's studies at Purdue University. She is the author of
The Iranian Constitutional Revolution, 1906-1911, and current president of the International Society for Iranian Studies.
Kevin B. Anderson is associate professor of political science and sociology at Purdue University and the author of
Lenin, Hegel, and Western Marxism.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I Foucault's Discourse: On Pinnacles and Pitfalls
1. The Paradoxical World of Foucault: The Modern and the Traditional Social Orders
2. Processions, Passion Plays, and Rites of Penance: Foucault, Shi'ism, and Early Christian Rituals
Part II Foucault's Writings on the Iranian Revolution and After
3. The Visits to Iran and the Controversies with "Atoussa H." and Maxime Rodinson
4. Debating the Outcome of the Revolution, Especially on Women's Rights
5. Foucault, Gender, and Male Homosexualities in Mediterranean and Muslim Societies
Epilogue: From the Iranian Revolution to September 11, 2001
Appendix: Foucault and His Critics, an Annotated Translation
Notes
References
Index