Day 1 - The Greater Iran and Its Major Ethno-Religious Entities

The Middle East is a vast area which is a home to a countless number of ethnic and religious communities. Many of these ethnic groups are in a constant struggle for self-preservation, while others are in the process of an aggressive expansion and growth. A great number of indigenous ethnic and religious groups also live in the country of Iran where the entire system is based on the multiplicity of ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups. Part of the understanding of Iran consists of recognizing this important truth, which is so often manipulated by foreign powers. On this day we are going to have a general overview of the ethnic structure inside the borders of Iran and outside of it.

  1. Curriculum
  2. Intermediate Persian Syllabus
  3. Week 9 - Identity Persian
  4. Day 1 - The Greater Iran and Its Major Ethno-Religious Entities  

Reading: An excerpt (pages 214-215) from Helen Afshar’s book titled “Iranian identity”, which introduces the major ethnic groups of Iran.

Additionally, students can explore a scholarly article by Masoud Motalebi that discusses the political geography of Iran’s ethnic groups. A recommended section for this class is the subheading الگوی ترکیبی ملّت از منظر جامعه‌شناختی (“The Compound Model of the Nation from a Sociological Perspective”).

Listening: A video from a historical YouTube channel authored by Saber Sadeghi discussing the balance between national and ethinc identity in Iran, and the risks of ethnic nationalism.

Subject of Conversation: Are the ethnic minorities a threat to Iran’s unity and security? (آیا اقلیت‌های قومی تهدیدی برای وحدت و امنیت ایران هستند؟)

Students will be divided into two groups to debate opposing views. One group will argue that ethnic minorities pose a challenge to Iran’s unity and security, especially when influenced by separatist tendencies or foreign intervention. The opposing group will argue that these minorities are an integral part of Iran’s social fabric and that recognizing their rights strengthens national cohesion. The goal is to encourage nuanced discussion while applying vocabulary and ideas from the day’s materials.

Homework: 
- Read and study the two articles from the reading section and study the vocabulary.
- Prepare a list of major minority ethnic and religious groups of the Middle East, and provide brief information about each of them (3-500 words).
- Prepare for tomorrow’s discussion.