Book contents
- Presidential Elections in Iran
- Presidential Elections in Iran
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Theoretical Framework
- 2 The Age of the ‘Imam’
- 3 The Era of Reconstruction and Reform
- 4 Ahmadinejad and Secularisation: Rupture or Continuity?
- 5 Consolidation of Secularity
- Conclusion
- Appendix Presidential Elections in a Nutshell
- Bibliography
- Index
Conclusion
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 May 2021
- Presidential Elections in Iran
- Presidential Elections in Iran
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Theoretical Framework
- 2 The Age of the ‘Imam’
- 3 The Era of Reconstruction and Reform
- 4 Ahmadinejad and Secularisation: Rupture or Continuity?
- 5 Consolidation of Secularity
- Conclusion
- Appendix Presidential Elections in a Nutshell
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Since the mid-1990s, the Islamic Republic’s political landscape has been dominated by reformist/moderate and conservative/hardliner factions. The dominant narrative of Iranian electoral politics portrays reformists as the embodiment of Iran’s transition to secularity in their pursuit of liberal reform. On the other hand, conservatives are traditionally defined by their dedication to the Supreme Leader and commitment to maintaining the country’s socio-political status quo. The conservatives’ seemingly closer ties to revolutionary institutions, such as the Supreme Leader and the Revolutionary Guards, has led many observers to assume that they seek to maintain the values and ideals of the Khomeini era and are opposed to secularity. This polarised image of Iranian electoral politics, prevalent in the media and scholarly accounts, masks a very significant transformation. As we have documented, since the first decade of the revolution, political forces across the entire spectrum have become secularised, evident in their departure from the ethos of Khomeini’s revolutionary religiosity.
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- Presidential Elections in IranIslamic Idealism since the Revolution, pp. 160 - 167Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021