The Idea of Persia - (Gingko-St Andrews) by Ramin Jahanbegloo (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Exploring the idea of Persia as a means of investigating the soul of this fascinating nation.

In 1721, the French philosopher Montesquieu posed the question, "Comment peut-on être persan?" in the title to his famous Persian Letters (Lettres persanes). After centuries of invasion, murder, destruction, authoritarian rule, decay of political theory, and increasing dissolution in Iran's politics, this volume is an investigation into what the answer to that question might be today.

The Idea of Persia explores the notion of what it is to be Persian, but not as it has been constituted in the past, with reference to the political experience of antiquity, nor as an affirmation of the secular-rational project of modernity. Rather, the book examines the question of what it is to be Persian against the backdrop of centuries in which a common, plural subjectivity of Persian-ness has been continually delayed by those who, with or without ideologies, believed in politics only as a means of ruling or of being ruled without laws and in the absence of citizenship.

The historical battle for social and political freedoms is still underway in Iran, and as the nation wrestles with the possibility of an extended period of political, social, and cultural decline, it is a timely moment to return to the perspective embodied in the enlightened thinking of figures such as the writer and three times prime minister of Iran Mohammed Ali Foroughi (1877-1942) and his vision of a country possessing rational and moral capabilities, and to a possible renaissance of social and political institutions.

The idea of Persia as it is presented here sees hope in the future as the means by which Iranians may liberate themselves from the duality of heroes and saints and remake their political mentality while staying true to an age-old idea of Persia and to freedom as a virtue that has to be taught.

Review Quotes

"The Idea of Persia could not have been published at a more fitting time. Jahanbegloo's deep and philosophical reading of Foroughi as a multi-faceted intellectual and statesman offers not just a biography but a reintroduction. Jahanbegloo doesn't just describe Foroughi; he resurrects him as a model for a new generation of political thinkers and statesmen. ... It invites young Iranians and curious minds globally to consider what kind of political selfhood is possible when informed by culture, reason, and depth. Reading this book is not just recommended; it is necessary. For Iranians seeking clarity in the fog of today's disorientation, it offers a sense of anchorage. For non-Iranians seeking to understand what Iran was, is and could be, this is a gateway to the philosophical soul of a nation often obscured by headlines, caricatures, and politics. The Idea of Persia is a mirror: it reflects what was possible then and whispers what might still be reclaimed."-- "Mehrdad Loghmani, Co-Founder of Nonviolence Without Borders, Co-Author of Charter 91"

About the Author

Ramin Jahanbegloo is an Iranian-Canadian political philosopher. He is presently the executive director of the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Nonviolence and Peace Studies and the vice-dean of the School of Law at Jindal Global University-Delhi (India). He is a member of the advisory board of PEN Canada and the winner of the Peace Prize from the United Nations Association in Spain for his extensive academic work in promoting dialogue between cultures and his advocacy for nonviolence. He is more recently the winner of the Josep Palau i Fabre International Essay Prize and the founder of the movement Nonviolence Without Borders.