Toiling for Oil

by Touraj Atabaki

Often referred to as the 'Oil Century,' the twentieth century marked the rise of petroleum as a pivotal force in global economics and politics. While many studies have explored the political relations between oil corporations and the Iranian state, this innovative book builds an intricate picture of the social history of petroleum in Iran, after its discovery there in 1908. Through expert interviews and on-the-ground reports, Touraj Atabaki shows the seismic impact of from the building of roads to an influx of migrant labour. Offering insights into the lives and challenges of oil workers alongside analysis of wider geopolitical conflicts, Toiling for Oil traverses two world wars, industrialisation and modernisation, attempts at nationalisation in the 1950s and the political crises of the late 1970s. An essential read for anyone interested in Iran's unique position in the global economic landscape as oil continues to shape our world.

414 pages, Paperback

Published May 12, 2024

About the author

Touraj Atabaki is a professor of the "Social History of the Middle East and Central Asia" at the Department of History of the University of Amsterdam and a senior research fellow at the International Institute of Social History. Dr Atabaki is also the President of the European Society for Central Asian Studies (ESCAS), a member of the Conference of the Presidents of the European Associations for Asia Studies, a member of the Council of the Society for Iranian Studies, the visiting senior research fellow of the Middle East Centre (St. Antony's College, University of Oxford), and the visiting professor at the Academy of Sciences of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Moscow. He is also a member of several editorial boards, including the Journal of Azerbaijani Studies, International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) Newsletter, the Central Asian Survey, and The Review of International Affairs board.[1] He is also an expert on Iranian Azeris.[2] He is member of the board of the International Qajar Studies Association and Director of the Qajar Studies and Documentation Centre. In 2012 Atabaki joined the Board of Advisors of the International Museum for Family History.