Exile and the Nation

Reviews / Votes

A groundbreaking book...There is little doubt that Exile and the Nation will become foundational reading for any student of Iranian modernity and nationalism, as it provides the most comprehensive picture of both the history of Zoroastrian revival as a branch of Iranian nationalism but also a complete historiographical account that explains the turbulent political history of modern Iran. (Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies) [Exile and the Nation] succeeds in reconceptualizing Iranian modernity, and Iranian nationalism especially, in light of the Parsi-Iranian encounter. Through the stories of the book's five protagonists, Exile and the Nation shows how Parsis played pivotal roles in the development of the ideologies that defined twentieth-century Iran. At the same time, Marashi's book expertly weaves together disparate subfields within Iranian studies-namely, classical Zoroastrianism, colonialism, and Sufism-that are rarely in conversation. As such, scholars in the field will doubtlessly find Exile and the Nation enlightening and instructive. (Iranian Studies) The perspective in [Exile and the Nation] is truly transnational, and its approach offers methodological as well as substantive inspiration for future studies...an intellectually provocative and engaging read. (TRAFO-Blog for Transregional Research) [A] well-written, clearly argued study...Exile and the Nation is transnational history at its best; it demonstrates how those who helped revived the ancient ties between Iran and India, and then molded them to fit modern nationalism, were inspired by ideas that ostensibly came from the East but were leavened with German as much as British romantic elements. It is especially good at showing the insurmountable dilemma they faced: how to jump across centuries to Iran's pre-Islamic, Zoroastrian past for inspiration, without disregarding let alone eliminating the country's rich Islamic heritage. (Middle East Journal) [Marashi's] engaging biographies of two Zoroastrians (one Parsi, one Iranian), two poets (one an Iranian translator of Zoroastrian texts, one a Bengali Nobel laureate), and an Iranian journalist with pro-Nazi sympathies contextualize the development of Iranian nationalism between the Constitutional Revolution and the 1930s, highlighting the significance of Parsi Zoroastrians to the related restoration of 'Iranian authenticity.' (Journal of Asian Studies) An exciting new book...Exile and the Nation is a richly textured study of some of the main threads that make up Iranian national culture. It makes a number of important interventions...[Marashi's] book should be in the hands of every Iranian interested in the history of ideas and the trajectories of Iranian national identities. (Peyk Magazine) In showing how new scholarly methods, mass audience books, and an alternative national identity were imported from Bombay, then adapted to Iran's contrasting sociopolitical context in unforeseen ways, Exile and the Nation is as important a contribution to colonial Indian history as it is to understanding the origins of the modern Middle East. (Los Angeles Review of Books) [Exile and the Nation] is an extremely well-researched and well-written work that addresses a topic that has yet to be adequately addressed...There is also a welcomed element of storytelling to the book not often found in scholarly, historical works...it is in both the richness of the biographical details Marashi provides and his versatile and nuanced account of the intellectual and political developments, that the depth of Marashi's research and writing skills most shine...this book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the history of modern Iran, a better understanding of nationalism in a phenomenological sense, or a well-grounded, historically based story related in a highly entertaining and informative way. (Mashriq & Mahjar)