Synopses & Reviews
One hundred years ago, in the London of the elderly Queen Victoria, the trials of Oscar Wilde offered the court of public opinion its first opportunity to debate the ethics of homosexuality; unfortunately for Wilde, his trials offered the nation's legal system the same opportunity. Oscar Wilde-Novelist, poet, playwright, aesthete, reputed homosexual, enigma-was tried and convicted of practicing indecent acts and sentenced to two years of hard labor, dying less than three years after his release. Reading Wilde commemorates the centenary of the Wilde trials by returning to the many sites visited, and profoundly changed, by Oscar Wilde. The essays trace his powerful impact in the aesthetic, political, spiritual, and moral circles if late Victorian England.
Synopsis
Why has Iran seen so many modern revolutions? Today, the term revolution conjures up images of militant Islamic fundamentalists; yet before this century, both militancy and revolution were more characteristic of Europe. Addressing this phenomenon, Keddie examines such factors as the political role of Shi'ism, Iran's dominant religion, and further stresses the multi-urban nature of Iran's revolutions.
The first book to address extensively the revolutionary nature of Iran, Shi'ism, and Muslim militant movements in comparative perspective, Iran and the Middle East will appeal to anyone interested in revolution, social/political revolt, and the Middle East.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 288-294) and index.
About the Author
Author of numerous books, including the acclaimed Roots of Revolution, Nikki R. Keddie is Professor of History at the University of California, Los Angeles and editor of the award- winning journal Contention.