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Introduction: Iranian Intellectuals (1997–2007)

It is a very special honour to be the guest editor of this first, special issue of the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, and I sincerely hope that the increase from two to three issues per year (with the third issue devoting its space to a particular theme or topic) will continue for many years to come. The increasing regard paid to the region and the numbers of excellent articles that the journal receives for publication suggests that this move will be a great success. This first issue on a special theme could not be timelier; Iran has appeared in the news with far greater frequency in recent months because of its developments in nuclear technology. However, the interest in Iran seems to have grown markedly in the past decade, perhaps as a result of the remarkable activity in political, cultural and social spheres that has caused many observers of the region some surprise. The volume of books on modern Iran testifies to the concern of some politicians and elements of the general public in a region, its peoples and its cultures that remain enigmatic, an exotic fantasy, a scapegoat and a tangibly different ‘other’. There are also a number of respectable academic publications that locate Iran and associated research on firmer universal foundations, and at the same time permit the specificity of Iran to broaden general horizons of research. The year 1997 was the year in which Mohammad Khatami was victorious in the Presidential elections, and the subsequent blossoming of newspapers, journals and other literary forms in which virtually nothing remained unchallenged or unquestioned suggested that reform in politics and society was inevitable. But to posit 1997 as the date when intellectual activity of this reformist nature commenced is a little arbitrary, as prior to this there were intellectuals who had been advocating change in one form or another. However, the sheer volume and range of intellectual activity that emerged in the period from 1997 onwards, the language that was used and the topics that were addressed make 1997 a suitable entry point into the realm of modern Iranian intellectuals. Academics in the West coined new terms, such as ‘post-Islamism’ to capture the prevailing mood in Iran, and previously unthinkable comments were verbalised in the heart of Iranian cities: former President Hashemi Rafsanjani’s economic dealings were heavily