Religion, State, and the Rule of Law in Modern Iran
RELIGION 182
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
This course examines the concept of law in Iran from a historical perspective, focusing on the clash between religious and secular authority. It surveys the current Iranian legal system, exploring the role of sharīʿa, the place of Islam in the Constitution, and the impact of sharīʿa on areas of law such as family and criminal law. Taking a historical approach, the course traces the development of the Iranian legal system by focusing on the rises and falls of juristic authority in legislation and the state. Topics include Iran’s emergence as a Shiʿi state, the role of the ʿulamāʾ in the Constitutional Revolution, the rise of secularism during the Pahlavi era, and the return of Islamic law after the 1979 Revolution. This is an introductory course, and no background is required.
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