Peyman Jafari

Peyman Jafari (Teheran, 1976) graduated in Political Science (International Relations) at the University of Amsterdam. After obtaining a NWO-Mosaic scholarship, he joined the ASSR as a PhD-candidate in September 2009. He is also a researcher at the International Institute of Social History.

His PhD-project explores the relationship between political transformations and socio-economic power structures in Iran between 1979 and 2009. By delving into the role of social classes, state-society relations and international relations, and their interactions with social movements (labour, women and students), it aims to answer two interrelated questions: which factors explain the resilience of the post-1979 socio-political system in Iran? Why did the process of political liberalization, which started under the presidency of Khatami (1997-2005), give way to authoritarian populism under president Ahmdinejad (2005 - present).

Jafari’s broader academic interests include the international relations of the Middle East, democratization, social class, labor history, political economy, Marxism, varieties of populism, Islam and Islamism.

His publications include:

• "Iran’s new rebellion”, in Socialist Review (July 2009).
• “De ayatollah en de haai – Iran na de verkiezingen”, in de Groene Amsterdammer (24 juni 2009).
• Het andere Iran – van de revolutie tot vandaag (2009, Ambo/Anthos).
• “De verantwoordelijkheid van intellectuelen” (een inleiding tot Noam Chomsky’s gelijknamige artikel), in Ronald van Raak, Socialisme – what’s left? (2004, Veen Magazines)