Reading Legitimation Crisis in Tehran: Iran and the Future of Liberalism

by Danny Postel

The Iran depicted in the headlines is a rogue state ruled by ever-more-defiant Islamic fundamentalists. Yet inside the borders, an unheralded transformation of a wholly different political bent is occurring. A “liberal renaissance,” as one Iranian thinker terms it, is emerging in Iran, and in this pamphlet, Danny Postel charts the contours of the intellectual upheaval.

Reading "Legitimation Crisis" in Tehran examines the conflicted positions of the Left toward Iran since 1979, and, in particular, critically reconsiders Foucault’s connection to the Iranian Revolution. Postel explores the various elements of the subtle liberal revolution and proposes a host of potential implications of this transformation for Western liberalism. He examines the appeal of Jürgen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, and Isaiah Berlin among Iranian intellectuals and ponders how their ideas appear back to us when refracted through a Persian prism. Postel closes with a thought-provoking conversation with eminent Iranian philosopher Ramin Jahanbegloo. 

A provocative and incisive polemic highly relevant to our times, Reading "Legitimation Crisis" in Tehran will be of interest to anyone who wants to get beyond alarmist rhetoric and truly understand contemporary Iran.

130 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2006

Reviews

[Brumaire Bodbyl-Mast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite some of my intense disagreements with this brief pamphlet, I do think it’s a worthwhile read on several levels. Though from 2006, and in many ways this decade and half plus time gap shows, much of the discourse featured in the book remains relevant today. Most notably the condemnations of lazy anti imperialism as regards Iran put forth by many leftists. This is something I myself struggle with in the Iranian context in particular, and something ultimately the book itself cannot provide much adequate solutions for- beyond calling for “intellectual solidarity” between human rights activists in the West and Iran. And while I think this is a reasonable request, I unfortunately fail to see how it will change the repressive governance of Iran in the short term, though perhaps it may grant new life and gratitude to the feeble intellectuals of the ever backsliding West in the long term. It is strange though to read a book by self professed liberals of an almost Fukiyaman variety (though they are not pro-neoliberal) with such intellectual rigor, since so often their post trumpian counterparts, when looking to discuss issues of “democracy” in particular are so lacking. The discussion of Foucault’s blindness in regards to the revolution is rather interesting though not really unique or original (at least not now) in any sense, and the sexual dimension is unnecessary in the analysis, only contributing to homophobic conceptions and half baked Freudian analyses of Islamic tradition.

[Scott Dinsmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of essays examining the role of liberal political theorists (Habermas, Kant, Arendt, Rawls, Rorty, etc.) in contemporary Iranian intellectual scene. The author castigates fellow leftists for ignoring Iranian totalitarianism leaving a lack of Westerners who speak about freedom in Iran -- filled by the right. Postel suggests that anti-imperial principles at the heart of the current Left seen in actions from Vietnam to Central America, doesn't map appropriately in domains where Western imperialism is not the main factor.

One noteworthy chapter explores Foucault's sympathetic fascination with the Iranian revolution and what drew him, intellectually and personally, to such a movement.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't stress how excellent Danny Postel's book is. It's a short, pamphlet-length book that is a decent overview to those who criticize Iran's current regime -- from the perspective of a critical, third-world Liberalism, rather than Leftism. I will write a better review later -- I promised Danny I would - but for now: if you are at all interested in what went on in Iran in June and July and continue to the follow the news, pick up this pamphlet. It is an especially cogent (critical and yet empathetic) overview of Foucault's fumbling response to the Iranian Revolution.

[Daniel Burton-Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through engagement with "radical liberal" Iranian activist intellectuals, Postel rightly accuses the American Left of mirroring U.S. imperialism by default in disproportionately engaging with social movements on the receiving end of U.S. imperialism. He only discusses the case of Iranian resistance to their regime, but calls for activism in solidarity with progressive movements wherever they're found, even if thinking through local dynamics and where and how to intervene is difficult.
As three previously published essays and an extended interview, the book suffers from a bit of redundancy.

[Sunshine]

Read first chapter and was completely taken. He seemed to be writing directly for me. Not as personally inscribed by the second chapter so far, but I'll definitely come back to it.