Iranian Politics and Religious Modernism
The Liberation Movement of Iran under the Shah and Khomeini

The Liberation Movement of Iran (LMI), founded in 1961, is a small but highly intellectual and influential political party dedicated to a modernized form of Shi`i Islam. Mehdi Bazargan has always been LMI's leading light, but many other prominent figures have been associated with the party, including Ayatollah Taleqani, Ali Shariati, and Sadeq Qotbzadeh. With great intelligence and insight, Chehabi shows how "the selfsame men who had looked like religious fanatics to some in the early 1960s now are the most secular members of Iran's political class." Most of the study consists of a step-by-step history of the last 30 years; in addition, the author provides a thorough presentation of the LMI ideology and social makeup. Although it deals with a specialized topic, this excellent political study should be available in all undergraduate libraries.

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