The Shi‘a worlds and Iran

عن الكتاب

From Africa to Asia, there are areas that are home to minority and in some cases majority groups of Twelver Shia. Geography and history place Iran at the centre of these Shia worlds, but to what extent can we speak of an ‘Iranian model’ that these groups follow? This meticulously researched collection of essays presents the Shi‘a worlds in all their complexities. It highlights the fallacy that Iran has been successful in achieving its aims in promoting a radical form of Islam. The spread of the Islamic Revolution and the influence of the “Khomeini-ist” type of Shi‘a Islam has faced numerous obstacles. The strength of indigenous traditions, local customs and pragmatic politics has resulted in a number of alternatives to the socio-political model provided by Iran. This essential work explores the tenuous relations between these groups and Iran whilst shedding light on understudied communities, such as in the Gulf, Turkey, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Senegal and elsewhere.