Répertoire des enseignements

DAFF 25A93 - Contemporary Iran : Regional Influence, Nuclear Strategy, and Domestic Politics

DAFF 25A93 · Semestre d'automne 2026-2027

Langue d'enseignement
English
Type d'enseignement
Cours séminaire
Nombre d'heures
24
Crédits
5

Informations

Descriptif

This course explores the political, economic, military, and social dimensions of the Iranian question since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Western perspectives have often been limited to a narrow set of issues, such as “terrorism,” “nuclear ambitions,” and “drone and ballistic missile programmes.” While these concerns are not entirely unfounded, such approaches only partially capture the political and social reality of a complex and multifaceted country.

A broader and more nuanced understanding of contemporary Iran is essential, especially as international interest in the country continues to grow. This increased attention stems from Iran’s status as a regional power, its nuclear ambitions, the nature of its political system, and its military doctrine, which places asymmetric responses at the core of its regional and international strategies.

Pré-requis

None

Format pédagogique

Seminar: interactive classes combining short lectures, discussions, student presentations, and participation.

Mode de validation

Attendance and participation20%
In-class assignments20%
Research project30%
Final exam30%

Lectures

Lectures principales 5

  1. Arang Keshavarzian, “Protests, Participation and Representation in an Improvisational Polity”, Mehran Kamrava (ed.), The Sacred Republic. Power and Institutions in Iran, Hurst Publishers, 2023.

  2. Bernard Lewis, “Iran in History”, West Virginia University, 2001. https://web.statler.wvu.edu/~shahab/OtherFiles/IRAN-in-History.pdf

  3. Clément Therme, Kjølv Egeland, Hebatalla Taha. “Seizing Nuclear Tehran: Obstacles to Understanding Iranian Nuclear Activities”, The Middle East Journal, Summer 2022, 76 (2), pp. 159-178.

  4. Holly Dagres, “What the Islamic Republic Learned About Repression From Syria”, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 18 March 2026. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/what-islamic-republic-learned-about-repression-syria

    Lire en ligne

  5. Houchang E. Chehabi, “The Political Regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, Government and Opposition, Vol. 36, Issue 1, Winter 2001, pp. 48-70.

    Lire en ligne

Lectures secondaires 5

  1. Ali Ansari, “The Islamic Republic in ruins”, March 2026. https://engelsbergideas.com/notebook/the-islamic-republic-in-ruins/

  2. Hamid-Reza Azizi, The Axis of Resistance: Iran, Israel, and the Struggle for the Middle East, Polity Press, 2026.

    Emprunter

  3. Richard Nephew, “Nuclear Latency and Iran”, in Nuclear Latency and Hedging: Concepts, History, and Issues, Edited by Joseph F. Pilat, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC, 2019, pp. 155-175. Available: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/book_downloads/nuclear_latency_and_hedging _-_concepts_history_and_issues.pdf

  4. Rudi Matthee, ““Neither Eastern nor Western, Iranian”: How the Quest for Self- Sufficiency Helped Shape Iran’s Modern Nationalism”, Journal of Persianate Studies, 13(1), 2020, pp. 59-104.

  5. William J. Burns, The Back Channel: A Memoir of American Diplomacy and the Case for Its Renewal, chapter 9: “Iran and the Bomb: The Secret Talks”, New York : Random House, 2019, pp. 337-387.

Unités pédagogiques

N° d'UPType d'UP Unités pédagogiquesEnseignants Nombre d'heuresCrédits
20144Cours séminaire Contemporary Iran : Regional Influence, Nuclear Strategy, and Domestic Politics Clément THERME245

Enseignants

  • Clément THERME

Dans les maquettes

Contacts et ressources

Contact pédagogique
NICOULEAU Svetlana