Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Iran in the 21st Century: Politics, Economics and Confrontation Homa Katouzian and Hossein Shahidi National Identity and National Interests 2. Crafting a National Identity amidst Contentious Politics in Contemporary Iran Farideh Farhi 3. The Dilemma of National Interest in the Islamic Republic of Iran Hamid Ahmadi 4. From Multilingual Empire to Contested Modern State Touraj Atabaki Dissent 5. Three Faces of Dissent: Cognitive, Expressive and Traditionalist Discourses of Discontent in Contemporary Iran Mahmood Sadri and Ahmad Sadri 6. From Motherhood to Equal Rights Advocates: The Weakening of Patriarchal Order Azadeh Kian Thébaut Foreign Policy Challenges 7. Iran and the United States in the Shadow of 9/11: Persia and the Persian Question Revisited Ali Ansari 8. A Look to the North: Opportunities and Challenges Farhad Atai 9. Israel-Iranian Relations Assessed: Strategic Competition from the Power Cycle Perspective Trita Parsi Nuclear Policy 10. Nuclear Policy and International Relations Saideh Lotfian 11. Nuclear Energy: A Case for Sustainable Development Mehdi Askarieh Economic Performance 12. Oil, Economic Diversification and the Democratic Process in Iran Massoud Karshenas and Hassan Hakimian 13. Capital Accumulation and Economic Growth in Iran: Past Experience and Future Prospects Ahmad Jalali Naini 14. Human Resources in Iran: Potentials and Challenges Djavad Saleh-Isfahni 15. The Significance of Economic History and the Fundamental Features of the Economic History of Iran Homa Katouzian