Staging a Revolution

The first book to examine this colossal political event through the images that set it in motion. With previously unpublished historical sources and essays by Peter Chelkowski and Hamid Dabashi.

Staging a Revolution is a visual survey of the public myths and collective symbols used in the making of the Islamic Revolution of Iran (1978-79), and the subsequent war with Iraq (1980-88). Accompanied by historical essays, this is the first book ever to examine this material.
Staging a Revolution traces a period of history in which the power of words and images successfully challenged the military might of an established state, setting forth an avalanche of public sentiment that led to revolution. In these pages, the visual and iconographic history of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, little known to the West, is uncovered, from the fiery words of the charismatic leader Ayatollah Khomeini to graffiti, slogans, murals, posters, and banners - words and images that unified much of the nation. The book surveys the wealth of primary sources produced by the various active organs of the Islamic Revolution. Authors, Peter Chelkowski and Hamid Dabashi examine the popular beliefs and rituals disseminated on such objects as stamps, textbooks, banknotes, and even chewing-gum wrappers, objects that deeply influenced the national psyche, stirring people into a revolutionary trance through all aspects of daily life. These primary sources are read with a sensitivity to Iranian history and the Shii Muslim religion, making Staging a Revolution the first book to examine this political event through the very images that set it in motion.