Kristin Cohoon
Abbas Milani, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, speaks at the first in a series of events about Iran.
Printable Version Send A Letter To The Editor Discuss In the Forums E-Mail To A Friend

The series began last night with a talk by Abbas Milani, a research fellow and Iran expert at the Hoover Institution, who spoke about on Iran’s ancient culture and place in global history. There will be a speaker event every Sunday night until May 17 to increase student awareness about cultural, political and security issues related to Iran.

On April 24, William O. Beeman, a visiting professor from Brown University, will speak on how misperceptions of Iran are usually derived from the 1979 Iranian revolution and the subsequent hostage crisis. The event coordinators said they hope he can correct any false views or stereotyping of people with Iranian heritage.

Mehdi Javanmard, a third-year electrical engineering doctoral student and event coordinator said, “Having lived in Iran before, [Beeman] should provide us insight into the culture and people of Iran.”

On May 1, Shahram Aghamir, a journalist currently working for KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley, will host a talk on Iran’s path toward self-determination. The presentation will focus on the 1953 British and American coup that brought Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi back into power. A documentary entitled “Anatomy of a Coup: The CIA in Iran” will follow the talk.

The fourth talk of the series is scheduled for May 8 and will feature three short lectures on contemporary Iran. Kaveh Ehsani, a research scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago, will give the first talk on Iran’s current political identity. Milani, who will focus on reform movements and the media, will follow him. The night will conclude with a speech on the role of women and religious minorities in Iran by Nayereh Tohidi, an associate professor of women’s studies at California State University at Northridge.

The final lecture on May 15 will be given by Bennington College Political Science Prof. Mansour Farhang, who served as an advisor to the Iranian foreign ministry and as ambassador to the United Nations. He negotiated with United States officials during the hostage crisis and resigned from his position in protest when his efforts to negotiate the release of the American hostages in Tehran failed. He will discuss U.S.-Iranian relations and Iran’s nuclear program.

The goal of the lecture series is to raise campus awareness about the major issues that exist in Iran and the global community today. Coordinators said they hope students will gain a more complete and accurate perspective of the complexities and nuances surrounding modern Iran.

“Hopefully this speaker series will dispel some commonly held myths regarding Iran,” Javanmard said.

The series is sponsored by the Persian Student Association, The Muslim Student Awareness Network and the Coalition for Justice in the Middle East, in conjunction with the Department of Religious Studies and the History Department.

	Beloved improvisation prof. retires (April 11, 2005)
	National Palestinian photo exhibit on display (May 5, 2004)
	Moseley Braun to speak on campus (April 13, 2004)
	University computer programmers tie for 13th (April 8, 2004)

	Chavez celebration ends with words from a friend
	Julian Castro,Class of 1996, runs for mayor of San Antonio
	Economics lecturer David Johnson departs for Wellesley
	Motorcycle Diaries
	Students dress up for QSA drag ball
	Christians gather for a week of prayer
	Paramedics rescue swimmer at Avery
	Month-long series discusses Iran
	Panel seeks Kashmir solution

Post A New Comment