CONCEPTUALIZING IRANIAN ANTHROPOLOGY

In all, these useful and informative articles assess the status of anthropology of/in Iran realistically, even candidly... [They] reflect the cautiously optimistic attitude at the time of the conference, a hopefulness that meanwhile has withered...[and] illustrate the difficulties of transplanting a young social science based on humanism and curiosity (rather than pragmatism) to a society that is distrustful of intellectual pursuits deemed as potentially dangerous to an authoritarian state. Anthropos The authors present an incisive and illuminating overview of Iranian anthropology...Despite [considerable] difficulties, the authors uniformly demonstrate a reflexive, ethically responsible, and politically aware anthropology and offer valuable insights about the greater emphasis on problem-focused research by Iranian anthropologists and the potential for a valuable future role for applied anthropology in Iran. Choice This book... is certainly an indispensable tool for anyone interested in anthropological research on the country. Essays are accompanied by bibliographies that often contain hidden or forgotten treasures. A comprehensive bibliography of anthropological studies of Iran in English collated by Hegland completes the book. JRAI During recent years, attempts have been made to move beyond the Eurocentric perspective that characterized the social sciences, especially anthropology, for over 150 years. A debate on the anthropology of anthropology was needed, one that would consider other forms of knowledge, modalities of writing, and political and intellectual practices. This volume undertakes that challenge