Everyday Iran: A Provincial Portrait of the Islamic Republic (International Library of Iranian Studies)

Iran is a country which, despite its extensive coverage in the media, is often regarded as 'mysterious', 'exotic' and 'other-worldly'. This attitude often stems from a focus on the rhetoric of controversial figures in Iranian politics, rather than looking at the everyday lives of Iranians themselves. Clarissa de Waal uses her training as an anthropologist to examine the experiences of individuals, with a focus of the province of Fars in southwest Iran. This serves to highlight contemporary Iran outside of the capital, which so often dominates western understanding of the country. Using a wide range of subjects, from public sector workers and entrepreneurs to Qashqa'i tribes people (both settled and nomadic), students and the unemployed, de Waal examines the everyday existence Iran's population from a variety of backgrounds. She offers analysis and insights concerning ordinary Iranians' lives and the impact the state has on them economically, socially and religiously.