Lecture casts light on the “whole” Iran

In his inaugural lecture as the University of Cambridge’s new Professor of Persian History, Charles Melville will argue that the prevailing view of Iran in the west remains “inadequate” and fails to recognise “the dazzling Iran behind its present, unattractive façade”.

His presentation, on Saturday October 3rd, says that although there are limited opportunities to study the country’s history in the UK, doing so would enable British people to develop a greater respect for Iran and come to terms more effectively with the forces at work in the modern-day state.

While surveying a lifetime’s research on different aspects of Persian history, from the study of earthquakes to Persian manuscript painting, Professor Melville explains his interest in how history is recorded, written and rewritten over the ages. In the present time, he argues, we ask different questions of the past, reflecting current concerns.

He also addresses themes such as the cult of martyrdom and the relationship between religion and politics, as examples of how aspects of the country’s past can help to illuminate its present.

“We cannot overlook the (negative) political and social situation in Iran at the moment, but the more we study why it is the way it is, the more likely we are to find effective ways of engaging with its people,” Professor Melville said.

“Ultimately, there is a fantastic amount to admire about Iranian culture and civilisation. One of the problems with the modern-day state is that our sense of that is being eroded.”

The inaugural lecture draws attention to the fact that, at the moment, opportunities to study Persian history or the Persian language at British universities are limited. Just two institutions give students the chance to read Persian on its own, while a handful of others offer the subject as part of wider courses in Arabic or Middle Eastern Studies.

Even though it remains under-resourced, however, Professor Melville argues that interest in the subject is thriving in the UK, thanks to the efforts of a handful of scholars and a network of professional and amateur institutions and charitable foundations that continue to support it.

His presentation adds that: “Iran remains a country eminently worth studying, and not just because of the present fury over nuclear ambitions, or oil and gas reserves, or abuses of human rights and a lack of western-style democracy.”

Iran remains home to one of the most ancient and dignified civilisations in the world. A copy of the Babylonian “foundation cylinder” produced by the Persian Emperor Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC, which is regarded by some as the world’s first declaration of human rights, remains on display at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York. Ancient and Medieval Persia was responsible for astonishing works of art, and modern day Iran remains an important force in cinema and the contemporary arts.

As well as drawing attention to Iran’s achievements and historical relations with the wider world, the presentation suggests how the past offers clues to westerners wishing to come to terms with Iran in the present.

It points out, for example, that the cult of “martyrdom” that appears to influence Islamic fundamentalists within Iran is not just a tool of aggression for use by extremists.

Throughout Persian history and folklore, the theme of innocent people being martyred crops up time and time again. For many Iranians martyrdom remains an expression of innocence and a response to perceived persecution and unjust accusations. The lecture describes it as a powerful concept that is deeply embedded within their political and religious sensibilities.

Similarly, the presentation also draws attention to the long-standing interaction between religion and politics in Iran, showing how and why this relationship has evolved differently compared with the west.

For centuries, Iran was ruled by religiously-sanctioned monarchs. That changed in the 13th century, however, when, unlike western Europe, the region was conquered by the Mongols, who imposed their own, largely secular rule.

The lecture argues that this changed the Iranian political landscape irrevocably. Religion, which had once been the sanctioning force behind the country’s rulers, increasingly became a voice of opposition to secular rule.

Two and half centuries after the Mongol conquests, Shia Islam, with its strong cult of martyrdom and its messianic expectation of a returning Imam, became the official religion of the state and it has since frequently proved the force around which political opposition crystallises. In the modern day, it provides an often potent alternative to what is perceived as the “secularising” force of the west, using its historical strengths to articulate the views of conservative elements within Iranian society.

“It is easy to form a black and white image of Iran – especially the black,” the lecture concludes. “The reality is far more complex. It is certainly helpful to be able to see things from an Iranian point of view.”

The inaugural lecture by Professor Charles Melville is entitled: “Earthquakes and other upheavals in Persian History.” It will take place in lecture room 3 within the Mill Lane lecture rooms, Mill Lane, Cambridge, at 5pm on Saturday, October 3rd. All are welcome to attend.