Living Shi'ism: Instances of Ritualisation Among Islamist Men in Contemporary Iran (Iran Studies, v. 1)

This book is about Iranian Islamism on grass-roots level. It provides a vivid, near-life portrait of young activist men who uphold this movement through their zealous support of revolutionary ideals and the present regime. It is based on interviews with a group of volunteers in the Iranian home guard movement known as basij during a period of four years. By focusing on beliefs and rituals of individual persons, it gives a unique picture of the shifting motifs behind Islamist engagement in today’s Iran.
The book contextualises the interviewed individuals within the wider framework of Iranian society and relates their stories to a discussion on ritual, emotion, embodiment and authority. It is of interest to anyone who seeks to understand the multifaceted driving forces behind Shi’ite Islamism today.

David Thurfjell, Doctor of Theology, (2003) in History of Religions, Uppsala University, is Senior lecturer and Research fellow at Södertörn University College in Stockholm, Sweden. In his research he has dealt with Shi´ite Islam, Iranian studies and ritual studies.