OSHER 993 - Rise of Islamic Fundamentalism in Iran (20th Century)

This course will provide a brief history of events in Iran in the 20th century that led to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the 1970s. We will start with an in-depth discussion about Iran's Constitutional Revolution (1905-1911), the fall of the Qajar dynasty (1925) and the modernizing effects of the Pahlavi regime. The course will include an overview of Iran's occupation during War World II by allies, the nationalization of the oil industry under the leadership of the democratically-elected Prime Minister Dr Mossadegh, his overthrow (facilitated by the CIA) and how this all led to the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.