Iran and the Revolution
A History
Published on 24. March 2026
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-0-300-28288-7 (ISBN)
Description
A major new history of revolutionary Iran, from the 1940s to the present
Iran's revolution in 1979 shook the world. The Pahlavi dynasty came crashing down, and the Islamic Republic rose in its place. But what led to this seismic event? How did the revolutionary movement gain such strength? And what has its legacy been for modern Iran?
In this comprehensive history, Homa Katouzian explores Iran from the 1940s to the present, showing how the revolution came into being. From the chaos of oil nationalisation to the overthrow of Mosaddeq in 1953, through the revolutionary moment itself, to the resistance movements of contemporary Iran, the revolution has had long and lasting effects. We see the profound influence of US presidents and the ramifications of Saddam Hussein's invasion in 1980. Crucially, Katouzian shows how the revolution constituted an uprising of the whole of Iranian society and was not a purely Islamic movement.
This is an engaging account of an epochal event-one which continues to shape Iran to this day.
Iran's revolution in 1979 shook the world. The Pahlavi dynasty came crashing down, and the Islamic Republic rose in its place. But what led to this seismic event? How did the revolutionary movement gain such strength? And what has its legacy been for modern Iran?
In this comprehensive history, Homa Katouzian explores Iran from the 1940s to the present, showing how the revolution came into being. From the chaos of oil nationalisation to the overthrow of Mosaddeq in 1953, through the revolutionary moment itself, to the resistance movements of contemporary Iran, the revolution has had long and lasting effects. We see the profound influence of US presidents and the ramifications of Saddam Hussein's invasion in 1980. Crucially, Katouzian shows how the revolution constituted an uprising of the whole of Iranian society and was not a purely Islamic movement.
This is an engaging account of an epochal event-one which continues to shape Iran to this day.
Reviews / Votes
"Katouzian's warm, rational, highly accessible study will continue to explain the phenomenon long after it has vanished."-John Simpson, Guardian"This book offers a helpful political insight into the events of the Shah's departure in 1979, avoiding the easy cliches of US diplomatic failure, and Carter's unworldliness."-Justin Doherty, Aspects of History
"Brimming with insight and clarity, Iran and the Revolution distils six decades of Homa Katouzian's scholarship into a compelling portrait of revolution, protest, and reform in modern Iran."-Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi, author of Revolution and Its Discontents
"An incisive and well-documented overview of Iran's turbulent history from the outbreak of the Second World War, through the 1979 revolution, the rise of the Islamist theocracy, to the present-a must-read by a leading scholar of Iranian social and economic history, culture, and politics."-Ali Banuazizi, Research Professor of Political Science, Boston College
"Homa Katouzian's unwavering dedication to the study of Iran spoils us with an engaging and accessible book that brings his theory of state-society dynamics to life through an incisive account of the making of the Iranian Revolution and its afterlife, extending to the present day."-Elvire Corboz, author of Guardians of Shi'ism
"Drawing on a remarkably rich source base-from state archives to popular jokes-and avoiding the Westernised cliches of 'paradise lost,' 'fundamentalism,' and anti-modern atavism, Katouzian offers a deep history that situates 1979 within a much longer arc of state-society relations. A must-read for all students of Iran."-Reza Zia-Ebrahimi, author of The Emergence of Iranian Nationalism
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
19 b-w illus. + 1 map
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 158 mm
Thickness: 34 mm
Weight
580 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-300-28288-7 (9780300282887)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Homa Katouzian is a member of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford, and a visiting scholar at the Department of History, University of Toronto. He is the author of numerous books, including Iran: Politics, History and Literature, Iran: A Beginners' Guide, and The Persians.