Young and Defiant in Tehran

Contemporary Ethnography

by Shahram Khosravi

With more than half its population under twenty years old, Iran is one of the world's most youthful nations. The Iranian state characterizes its youth population in two as a homogeneous mass, "an army of twenty millions" devoted to the Revolution, and as alienated, inauthentic, Westernized consumers who constitute a threat to the society. Much of the focus of the Islamic regime has been on ways to protect Iranian young people from moral hazards and to prevent them from providing a gateway for cultural invasion from the West. Iranian authorities express their anxieties through campaigns that target the young generation and its lifestyle and have led to the criminalization of many of the behaviors that make up youth culture. In this ethnography of contemporary youth culture in Iran's capital, Shahram Khosravi examines how young Tehranis struggle for identity in the battle over the right to self-expression. Khosravi looks closely at the strictures confronting Iranian youth and the ways transnational cultural influences penetrate and flourish. Focusing on gathering places such as shopping centers and coffee shops, Khosravi examines the practices of everyday life through which young Tehranis demonstrate defiance against the official culture and parental dominance. In addition to being sites of opposition, Khosravi argues, these alternative spaces serve as creative centers for expression and, above all, imagination. His analysis reveals the transformative power these spaces have and how they enable young Iranians to develop their own culture as well as individual and generational identities. The text is enriched by examples from literature and cinema and by livid reports from the author's fieldwork.

Genres: Anthropology, Nonfiction, School, Iran, Ethnography, Middle East, Read For School

Hardcover

First published November 1, 2007

Reviews

[Samin Rb · Rating 2 out of 5]

An appealing introduction, promising to discuss the power relations between the Iranian youths and the state, the hegemonic prescribed identity constructed by the Islamic Republic and the youths strategies to challenge this model. But then, going through the chapters I got increasingly disappointed.
Khosravi starts the book by narrating his own story about his arrestment by Basijis in 1984. I admit that this personalization is an interesting and sympathetic way to establish a contribution; though at some moments the recurring usage of personal accounts made the work more of descriptive reports about the Iranian society, not an analytic study of the Iranian youths.
For example, under the sub-section ‘the politics of grief’ Khosravi tries to discuss the role of grief in the everyday life of Iranians. He talks about his observation in a concert in Tehran when one of his companions cried under the influence of the music. He links this scene to the role of grief in the Shiite culture and reaches to the story of Karbala and the political usage of the Islamic Republic from this story. I believe this form of analysis, even if eventfully correct, is more of a great conclusion based on small (and not always relevant) samples.

[Talya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why were the introduction and the afterword the best parts

[Julia Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

it's pretty cool stick it to the man young generation-esque and i love shopping

[Angela Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the detailed ethnography, when i finished the book i really sad i wanted to read more. I felt like he left me hanging but i was relieved to know that the book was part of a larger study. The novel really opened up my eyes to the daily life and struggle in Tehran.

[Elana Metz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting topic

[Aleck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read this ethnography for school but I still found it to be very enjoyable and insightful in giving perspective on the youth culture in Iran.

[Mmelbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

من كتب الانثروبولوجيا المريحة للعين، يقدم تحليل عن القوة وعلاقاتها في إيران ما بعد الثورة، ربما تحليله يمتد ليصح عنه أنه تحليل للقوة في الإسلام السياسي في الدولة-الأمة.