The Iranian Constitutional Revolution 1906-1911

Iran Heritage Foundation, Oriental Institute of the University of Oxford and the Persian Cultural Foundation.

Hossein Afshar, Julius Baer (Middle East) Ltd., Hassan Khosrowshahi.

Abbas Amanat, Houchang Esfandiar Chehabi, John Gurney, Vanessa Martin, Mohammad Tavakoli-Targhi.

Houchang Chehabi, Vanessa Martin.

Hossein Moghadam.

Nahid Assemi, Pegah Zohouri Haghian.

A hundred years have passed since the Iranian Constitutional Revolution of 1906, the first event of its kind in the Middle East. The Revolution opened the way for cataclysmic change in Iran, and heralded the modern era. The old order, which Naser al-Din Shah Qajar had struggled for so long to sustain came to an end and was replaced by new institutions, new forms of expression, and a new social and political order. The Constitutional Revolution created new opportunities and opened up seemingly boundless possibilities for Iran's future. But its impact extended beyond Iran. As one of the earliest in the decade of revolution, 1905-1915, its influence was felt from the Ottoman Empire to South East Asia.

The Constitutional Revolution was an immensely complex event, involving different parts of the country in different ways, facilitating the rise of some whilst hastening the decline of others. Because of Iran's geostrategic status as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires, the encroachments of the world economy, and the introduction of modern technology, it was not devoid of imperial manipulation or interference. In social terms, it created new opportunities for women, and influenced the evolution of minority identity. It was a period marked by unprecedented debate in a burgeoning press, which transformed the ways Iranians saw their place in the world and remembered their past.

The Revolution has been subject to a whole range of different interpretations, and it still raises a great many unanswered questions. Among these: What was the nature of the revolution? To what extent did it transform Iranian society and in which ways did Iranian society remain unaffected? What role did imperial actors play in the course of the revolution? What was the extent of the revolution's global influence? In what ways were the ideas flooding in from Europe interpreted? How lasting were the institutions established by the revolution? How did it change the identity of Iran, and, perhaps most importantly, how did it shape the country's future?

We look forward to debating these questions and many others at the Conference.

The conference is scheduled immediately before the Sixth Biennial of Iranian Studies, which takes place at SOAS from 3 August to 5 August. For more details see www.iranheritage.com/sixthbiennial/default.htm.

The papers presented at the conference will be published in a volume edited by Houchang Chehabi and Vanessa Martin.

The primary language of the conference is English. A limited number of presentations will be made in Persian.

For suitable accommodation (university halls and hotels), click on 'Accommodation' in the left column of this page.

If you need a letter of invitation for obtaining a visa, you will need to provide your full name (first and surname as spelled in your passport) and your passport number by fax to +44 (20) 75846709 or by email to farhad@iranheritage.org. Invitations will only be issued AFTER you have registered for the conference.

You can register either for the Constitutional Revolution conference only or for both the Sixth Biennial (SOAS, 3/8-5/8) and the Constitutional Revolution conferences at a combined discounted rate. The registration fee includes tea/coffee morning and afternoon but excludes lunch, etc in all cases.

Constitutional Revolution fee:
70 GBP - Full
40 GBP - Student
Sixth Biennial plus Constitutional Revolution discounted combined fee:
110 GBP - Full
60 GBP - Student

- Student rate applies only to currently enrolled full-time students with documentary proof
- In view of the large number of expected delegates, we ask everyone to register on-line prior to coming to Oxford on 30 July. Speakers will be automatically pre-registered.

A fixed price buffet lunch will be served each day. One coupon needs to be purchased for each day (i.e. four coupons for the duration of the conference).
Price: 7.50 GBP/coupon.

A reception at the Victoria & Albert Museum celebrating the newly refurbished Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art dedicated to art from the Persian, Turkish and Arab world. The gallery will be opened to the public in late July 2006.
Victoria & Albert Museum, London - 2 August, 7.30pm
Admission: 19 GBP

A concert by the Roshani Ensemble presenting the musical repertoire related to period of the Constitutional Revolution. A period of Iran's history, which coincided with important changes in the field of music and musical life in the country. For more details see www.iranheritage.com/windowofhope/default.htm.
St. Hilda's College, Oxford - 31 July, 8pm
SOAS, London - 3 August, 8pm
Admission: 10 GBP

A surreal and comic piece of theatre inspired by the events of the 1906 Constitutional Revolution, written by Mehrdad Seyf. Produced by 30 Bird Productions. For more details see www.iranheritage.com/persianrevolution/default.htm.
Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, London - 3, 4, 5 August, 8pm
Admission: 10 GBP

Click on 'Registration' in the left column of this page in order to
- Reserve rooms in one of the three university halls listed; note that hotel rooms need to be booked directly with the hotels
- Register for the conference(s)
- Purchase lunch tickets
- Purchase tickets to the reception at the Victoria & Albert Museum
- Purchase tickets to the Window of Hope: Music of the Mashruteh concert
- Purchase tickets to the Persian Revolution play