GEW Social Sciences Group

The Shi?i Mirror: Islam, Power, and Identity in Iran from Conquest to Revolution and Beyond is a comprehensive historical and political study examining the evolution of Shi?i Islam as the defining force behind Iranian civilisation, state formation, and national identity. Covering more than fourteen centuries of history, the book explores how Persia's ancient cultural heritage merged with Islamic civilisation after the Arab conquest, producing a distinctive religious and political tradition that continues to shape modern Iran.
Readers follow the transformation of Persian governance, literature, legal institutions, and religious authority through the Umayyad, Abbasid, Safavid, Qajar, and Pahlavi periods before arriving at the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. The volume investigates the emergence of Twelver Shi?ism as a state ideology, the development of clerical authority, the doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih, Iranian nationalism, reform movements, contemporary political debates, and Iran's influence across the wider Shi?i world.
Throughout, it connects historical developments with present-day questions concerning governance, legitimacy, identity, regional geopolitics, and religious authority. Designed for both academic and general audiences, the book combines rigorous historical research with accessible language, making complex political and theological developments understandable without sacrificing scholarly depth. Extensive references provide readers with pathways for further research while maintaining a coherent narrative suitable for university courses and independent study.
Whether you are interested in Middle Eastern history, Islamic political thought, Iranian society, comparative religion, international relations, or contemporary geopolitics, The Shi?i Mirror offers a nuanced and carefully documented examination of one of the most influential religious and political traditions in the modern world. This volume is an essential resource for historians, political scientists, students of Islam, diplomats, journalists, policy analysts, and anyone seeking to understand the historical foundations behind contemporary Iran and the enduring relationship between faith, power, and national identity.