The People Reloaded

January 24, 2011
Hashemi (Islam, Secularism, and Liberal Democracy) and Postel (Reading "Legitimation Crisis" in Tehran) offer a rich, consistently engaging anthology that makes an important effort to provide "an intellectual and political roadmap" to understanding Iran's tumultuous 2009 presidential election—the charges of vote rigging, the protests, and deadly government crack-down. Featuring essays and interviews by Iran experts, including Juan Cole, Reza Aslan, and Shirin Ebadi, the volume touches on protesters' motivations, the emergence of the Green Movement and its amorphous nature, and whether it can effect change—even as hard-liners maintain their firm grip on Iran's security, bureaucracy, and economy. The editors' choices lead to the unequivocal conclusion that the regime's domestic legitimacy now lies in tatters—and the facts, analysis, shading, and nuance these pieces provide will allow the reader to better understand whatever direction Iran may take in the future.