Book description
Since its emergence in 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has
remained a conundrum for observers, particularly in the West. Shi'ism
and the Democratisation Process in Iran examines the fundaments of
Iran's Islamic governance and asks the pivotal question: can democracy
and Islam cohere?
Addressing Wilayat al-Faqih, or rule by the
jurisprudent - the theory upon which the Islamic Republic was
constructed - he asserts that the system upholds both individual and
communal rights, and provides scope for citizens to express their
interests. Moussawi draws on the history and theological underpinnings
of Shi'i Islam to argue that in today's Iran, politics and religion
are neither rigid nor in diametric opposition.
Exhaustively researched, Shi'ism and the Democratisation Process
in Iran marks an invaluable addition to the growing oeuvre of books on Iran.
Born in Baalbeck, Lebanon, Ibrahim Moussawi is Head of Media
Relations for the Lebanese party, Hizbullah, and Associate Professor
in Media, Sociology and History at the Lebanese University in Beirut.
He has an MA in Political Science and a PhD in Philosophy of Islamic
Studies. He has lectured at universities around the world, including
Cambridge University, the London School of Economics and the School of
Oriental and African Studies. He also frequently appears as a
political analyst and commentator on international television channels
such as CNN, the BBC, Sky News and Al-Jazeera International.
