History 159: History of Iran

Fall Semester AY 2011-2012 Office: COB 341 (new office number TBA)
Hours: TTh 3:00-4:15 Office hours: Thursdays 1:00-2:00 or by
Building: SSM 104 appointment
Instructor: Professor Sholeh Quinn Office phone: 209-228-4593
e-mail: squinn@ucmerced.edu

CLASSROOM LAPTOP POLICY

I am enforcing a strict ban on laptop usage in the classroom. You may not use laptops in
class under any circumstances (unless you have a documented medical reason). If you
happen to bring a laptop with you to campus, it must remained closed and turned off for
the duration of the class period. You will therefore need to take notes using paper and
pen/pencil. If you do not wish to abide by this rule, then I suggest you find another course.

Communication
Please do not expect an immediate e-mail response from me if you choose to communicate with
me in this way. All e-mail messages must be signed with your full name, be sent from your
official UC Merced e-mail account, and written in full, polite sentences. Please note that the
course grading standards, the format of the exams, and all other general course requirements are
not open for discussion. If you need assistance in preparing for the course requirements, please
see me during office hours.

Required Texts
The following items (all paperbacks) are available for purchase at the Campus Bookstore:
(1) Michael Axworthy, A History of Iran: Empire of the Mind, Basic Books 2010; ISBN:
046501920X
(2) Roy Mottahedeh, The Mantle of the Prophet, 2nd Edition: Religion and Politics in Iran,
Oneworld, 2008; ISBN: 1851686169
(3) Abol Qasim Ferdowsi, The Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings, Penguin, 2007; ISBN:
0143104934
(4) Farid al-Din Attar, The Conference of the Birds, Penguin, 1984; ISBN: 0140444343
(5) Readings available for downloading on UCMCROPS.

Note: you must plan to print out *all* UMCROPS readings and bring the printouts of these
readings to class on the relevant day. While there is cost involved in printing out these
documents, this method is far cheaper than purchasing a pre-made course packet by a third party,
and less than the cost of purchasing a fifth book for the course.

Note: You must purchase all of the required books except for the UCM Crops readings during
the first week of the semester. If you choose to purchase your books from the internet or from
other outlets, you are fully responsible for making sure you receive the books in time to do all of
the reading. Work submitted late as a result of book ordering problems or delaying purchase from
the bookstore will still be penalized (if it is a paper) or not accepted (if it is a response paper).
Please keep in mind that although sources such as amazon.com are generally reliable, they may
not always ship the books within the time frame indicated on their website. Each article and
reading selection from the reading packet is clearly marked with a title, and is clearly referenced
in the section titled “Class Schedule and Reading Assignments,” below.
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Course Description, Goals, and Outcomes

Description and Goals. This course is designed to introduce students to the history of Iran.
Basic themes for the course are listed the schedule below. A knowledge and understanding of
history is useful in a wide variety of different professions and career paths, and necessary in order
to be an informed world citizen. The ability to collect, analyze, and present the evidence behind
a persuasive argument, whether verbally or in writing, is recognized as an essential skill in law,
business, and any area in which the skills associated with critical analysis are important. Course
readings will primarily consist of excerpts from primary sources and complete texts on
gunpowder empire history, in addition to textbook assignments. Through participation in class
discussions, exams, a series of “response papers,” and a longer paper assignment, students will
hone their critical thinking, speaking, reading, and writing skills, all of which will serve them
well beyond graduation, regardless of what career they choose.
Outcomes. By the end of the semesters, students will be able to:
(1) Contextualize primary sources for Iranian history
(2) Use primary and secondary sources to explain historical developments in Iranian history
(3) Describe particular historical developments in the history of Iran and explain their wider
context.
These are crucial building blocks for Learning Outcomes of the History major:
• Recognize the processes by which societies, cultures, and institutions change over
time.
• Describe particular historical developments and explain their wider context.
• Critically read, analyze, and synthesize primary and secondary sources.
• Use methods of narrative and analysis appropriately for communicating historical
phenomena.
• Identify the various contexts that shape the construction and use of historical
sources and knowledge.
• Identify a historical question and define an approach to it.

First Things First: Reading

The study of history is really the study of texts, whether an ancient cuneiform tablet or a modern
newspaper or something in-between. Reading, therefore, is the foundation of any history course.
Sometimes the texts are complicated and will require your extra close attention. Sometimes the
reading assignments are long and will require more of your time. Most of the time, they are
fascinating and will hold your interest, provided you are familiar with the context in which they
were written. Learning to analyze these readings from a historical perspective takes effort and
hard work, but it is one of the most important and rewarding skills you can learn at the university,
regardless of your major or your future career plans. If you are not interested in being challenged
in this way, or have other priorities, then I suggest you find another course. Students must do all
the required reading on time. You must be registered for the course to access the UCMCrops
readings. Weekly reading assignments should be completed by Monday of each week, otherwise
you will have difficulty following class lectures.

Discussions
To put it simply, you will be unable to participate in discussions if you do not come to class
prepared. Furthermore, I am requiring discussions to be very well grounded and based on the
reading material, so please do not expect to show up in class and “wing it” without having
done the reading. You must bring hard copies of all of the week’s assigned readings to class.
This means that if the assignment is on UMCROPS, you must print it out and bring the printed
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text to class. Make sure you retain the pagination of the original, as I will be referring to specific
passages in the readings during our discussions.

Course Requirements
Your grade will be based on (a) three quizzes (b) weekly response papers (c) two short paper
assignments and (d) participation, attendance, discussion questions, and instructor’s evaluation.
These requirements will be discussed in greater detail below.

a) Quizzes
The quizzes will consist of several short identification questions based on the terms that I put on
the board during lectures and that appear on handouts accompanying documentaries and films.
These identification questions are really short essays. You will be asked to identify a single
term--a name, a place, etc. But these are not simply “identifications.” In addition to determining
who, what, where, when, etc., you must also explain the historical significance of the term, what
is important about it, what impact it had on history, and so forth. Please bring blue books to class
for the midterm quizzes and the final exam quiz. It should take you no more than 50 minutes to
complete each quiz.

b) Response Papers
Response papers will be graded with a check (credit) or a zero (no credit). These response papers
must be typed, one full page double-spaced, and are due at the beginning of class as indicated on
the course schedule below. In order to receive credit for your response paper, you must
demonstrate that you have actually read the assignment by making direct reference to at least one
passage in each of the assigned readings related to each question. This reference must include a
page number indicating where you have quoted or paraphrased the reading. If I cannot tell from
your paper that you have done the reading, then you will not receive credit for that assignment, so
make sure you make specific references to the reading. You must write an entire full page in
order to receive credit. Under no circumstances should you later send me an electronic copy of
your response paper. You must either both turn it in at the beginning of class AND remain in
class for the entire duration, or do not turn it in at all. I will immediately delete all electronic
submissions of response papers and will recycle and not give any credit for response papers slid
under my door or otherwise handed in late. Do not even TRY to approach me regarding this
policy. If you do, be certain that I will immediately end the conversation by referring you to this
paragraph in the course syllabus. You may want to keep a second printout of your assignment to
refer to in class for the week’s discussions.

c) Paper Assignments
I have assigned two short paper assignments (5 pages each), which are due on the dates listed in
the schedule below (the third paper is due at the beginning of the final quiz). The paper topics
are listed at the end of this syllabus. Papers are due at the beginning of class on the assigned day.
Your grade will go down five points (half a grade) for each day your paper is handed in late.
Ppaers handed in after the beginning of class, slipped under my door, or put in my mail box after
class on due dates will be considered one day late. There will be no late papers accepted for
paper 2. These are not research papers; rather, you will be asked to use the readings assigned in
class to demonstrate your skills of critical thinking, source analysis, and good historical writing.

d) and e) Class Attendance, Participation, Professionalism and Discussion Questions

I expect students to attend class regularly and participate fully and regularly in scheduled
discussions and all other aspects of the class. Power point presentations, class notes, terms for
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exams and other material covered in class (other than certain reading assignments) are NOT
available online, so attendance is very important. Participation means being able to talk and
write intelligently about the assigned reading material. Professionalism includes having
constructive interactions with your peers, and displaying a mature and respectful attitude in class.
Please see the end of the syllabus for more information on participating in class discussions and
submitting discussion questions.

Grading
Grades will be computed as follows:
Papers #1: 20%
Paper #2: 30%
Midterm Quiz #1: 10%
Midterm Quiz #2: 15%
Final Quiz #3: 15%
Response papers and attendance: 5%,
Participation, professionalism, discussion questions, and instructor’s evaluation: 5%

Grading Philosophy
A grade is an assessment of your performance on a particular intellectual task; it does not
indicate your overall intelligence or general abilities, nor is it a representation of the professor's
or grader’s opinion of your personality. The standards of this course are very high, but the
criteria used to assess student performance are fair and consistent. Outlined below are the
standards of work necessary in order to achieve a particular grade:
A=excellent; B=good; C=average; D=below average; F=poor
The course grading scale is as follows: A: 93-100; A-: 90-92; B+: 88-89; B: 83-87; B-:80-82;
C+: 78-79; C: 73-77; C-: 70-72; D+: 68-69; D: 63-67; D-: 60-62; F: 0-59

Plagiarism
The University of California Academic Honesty Policy states the following:
Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to cheating, fabrication,
plagiarism, altering graded examinations for additional credit, having another
person take an examination for you, or facilitating academic dishonesty or as
further specified in this policy or other campus regulations.
(http://studentlife.ucmerced.edu/2.asp?uc=1&lvl2=121&lvl3=121&lvl4=123&con
tentid=171)
All assignments must be in YOUR OWN words. Direct quotations and paraphrased passages
from the textbook or any other source must have quotation marks and page references. Students
who plagiarize will receive zero points on the assignment, a grade of F in the course, with
additional notation placed on the student’s transcript that the failing grade was the result of a
violation of the Academic Honesty Policy.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

The University of California, Merced is committed to ensuring equal academic opportunities and
inclusion for students with disabilities based on the principles of independent living, accessible
universal design and diversity. I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations
that may be required for students with disabilities. Requests for academic accommodations are to
be made during the first three weeks of the semester, except for unusual circumstances. Students
are encouraged to register with Disability Services Center to verify their eligibility for
appropriate accommodations.
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Technology
Students should: (1) Own or have ample access to a computer (e.g. in UCM’s library, at home or
at work), (2) Have an email account (free of charge to all UCM students), and (3) Have a basic
understanding of how to use the Internet.

Nondiscrimination
The University of California, in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and University
policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability,
age, medical condition (cancer related),ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation or
status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. The University also prohibits sexual
harassment. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission, access and treatment in University
programs and activities. Inquiries regarding the University’s student related nondiscrimination
policies may be directed to Student Judicial Affairs.

Drops
University policy stipulates that drops are permitted only for serious and compelling reasons. The
following are not serious and compelling reasons: “nonattendance; poor performance or grades;
misjudgment of level of class work; failure to complete assignments or take a test; dissatisfaction
with class materials, instructional methods, or instructor; participation in social activities; or
simple lack of motivation.”

Classroom Privacy
Students may not record classroom lectures or any other materials without express permission of
the instructor.

Intellectual Property
The lectures, classroom activities, and all materials associated with this class and developed by
the instructor are copyrighted in the name of Sholeh Quinn on this date: August 1, 2011.

Notes
Please be in class ON TIME, and plan on staying for the entire class. Please refrain from reading
newspapers, magazines, etc. during class. Cell phones must be turned off during class. Surfing
the internet, sending messages, or online chatting are absolutely prohibited. Please also use time
outside of class to converse, whisper, etc. with your classmates. Students who prefer to read the
newspaper, talk to their classmates, pass notes, or engage in any of the activities described in this
paragraph will be asked to leave the classroom.

Final Note
This syllabus is subject to revision. Please attend class regularly and check your e-mail regularly
so that you will be aware of changes in reading assignments and due dates.
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Class Schedule and Reading Assignments

Week 1: Introduction
Reading: Axworthy, chs. 1-2
Thurs. Aug. 25 Introduction to the Course

Part I: Pre-Islamic and Early Islamic Iran

Week 2: Pre-Islamic Iran
Reading: Karnamik-i Ardashir (UCMCrops); Cyrus Cylinder text (UCMCrops); Excerpts
from Zoroastrian texts (UCMCrops); Mottahedeh, ch. 1.
Tues. Aug. 30 Lecture: pre-Islamic Iran
Thurs. Sept. 1 Discussion
Response paper 1 (due Sept. 1): What was the nature of Persian kingship in pre-Islamic Iran?
What do the Zoroastrian texts tell you about the Zoroastrian religion?

Week 3: The Islamic Invasions and Early Dynasties

Reading: Axworthy, ch. 3; Moojan Momen, An Introduction to Shi’i Islam, 1-22
(UCMCrops); Tabari, The History of al-Tabari vol. XIV, The Conquest of Iran, 1-63
(UCMCrops); Mottahedeh, ch. 2.
Tues. Sept. 6 Lecture: Islamic Invasions
Thurs. Sept. 8 Discussion
Response paper 2 (Due Sept. 6): Based on your reading of Tabari, what impact did the Islamic
invasions have on Iran?

Week 4: Early Dynasties

Reading: Kai Ka’us ibn Iskandar, A Mirror for Princes: The Qabus Nama, 35-95; 222-236;
(UCMCrops); Shahnamah, Introduction, 1-27, 36-62; 369-438; Mottahedeh, ch. 3.
Tues. Sept. 13 Quiz #1
Thurs. Sept. 15 Lecture: Early dynasties

Part II: Iran in the Middle Periods

Week 5: Turkish Invasions (Ghaznavids and Seljuqs)
Reading: Axworthy, ch. 3; Shahnameh, 774-854; Mottahedeh, ch. 4
Tues. Sept. 20 Lecture: Ghaznavids and Seljuqs
Thurs. Sept. 22 Discussion: Qabusnama (last week’s reading) and Shahnameh
Response paper 3 (due Sept. 22): Why do you think the Qabus Nama was written? What does it
tell you about Iran during the time it was composed? Place the Shahnameh in historical context
and explain its significance as a source for Ghaznavid history

Week 6: Turkish Invasions (Ghaznavids and Seljuqs)

Reading: Omar Khayyam, Rubaiyat, Introduction and all of the quatrains (UCMCrops);
Mottahedeh, ch. 5
Tues. Sept. 27 Lecture: The era of the Ghaznavids and Seljuqs
Paper #1 due online by 12:00 noon (please submit via UCMCrops)
Thurs. Sept. 29 Discussion: Khayyam
Response paper 4 (due Sept. 29): What are the main themes in Khayyam’s poetry as translated
by Fitzgerald? Why do you think this translation was so popular with western audiences?
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Week 7: Mongol Invasions

Reading: Attar, The Conference of the Birds (all); Mottahedeh, ch. 6
Tues. Oct. 4 Lecture: Sufism in Iran
Thurs. Oct. 6 Discussion
Response paper 5 (due Oct. 6): What is the significance of the Simurgh in The Conference of the
Birds?

Week 8: Mongol Invasions

Reading: Ata Malik Juvaini, Genghis Khan: The History of the World Conqueror (excerpts)
(UCMCrops); Rashid al-Din, Jami` al-tavarikh (excerpts) (UCMCrops); Rumi, selections
from the Masnavi (UCMCrops); Mottahedeh, ch. 7
Tues. Oct. 11 Lecture: the Mongols in Iran
Thurs. Oct. 13 Discussion
Response paper 6 (due Oct. 13): Why was Juvaini so hostile to the Ismailis? What do Ghazan
Khan’s reforms tell you about how the Mongol presence in Iran changed over time? How is
Sufism expressed in Rumi’s Masnavi?

Week 9: Post Mongols and Timurids

Reading: Clavijo, Embassy to Tamerlane, 218-300 (UCMCrops); Mottahedeh, ch. 8
Tues. Oct. 18 Post Mongol fragmentation and the age of Timur
Thurs. Oct. 20 Discussion
Response paper 7 (due Oct. 20): What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of using
travelers’ accounts as historical sources, and how is this reflected in Clavijo’s account of Timur?
Note: Please see me if you are interested in reading Clavijo’s account in the original medieval
Spanish.

Week 10: Post Mongols and Timurids

Reading: “Ibn Khaldun’s Meeting with Timur” (UCMCrops); Sa`di, Gulistan (selections)
(UCMCrops); Mottahedeh, chs. 9-10.
Tues. Oct. 25 Quiz #2
Thurs. Oct. 27 The Age of Timur

Part III: Early Modern Iran

Week 11: Post Timurids and Safavids
Reading: Axworthy, ch. 4; “Letters from Selim and Ismail” (UCMCrops); “The Safavids”
(UCMCrops)
Tues. Nov. 1 Safavid Origins and the Age of Shah Ismail
Thurs. Nov. 3 Discussion
Response paper 8 (due Nov. 3): What claims does Shah Isma`il make in his poetry and in his
letters to Selim? Why do you think his followers accepted his claims?

Week 12: The Safavids

Reading: Michele Membre, Mission to the Lord Sophy of Persia, (UCMCrops)
Tues. Nov. 8 The Age of Shah Tahmasp
Thurs. Nov. 10 Discussion
Response paper 9 (due Nov. 10): How would you compare and contrast the kingship of Shah
Isma`il with the kingship of Shah Tahmasp?
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Week 13: The Safavids

Reading: “Shah `Abbas: Selected Readings” (UCMCrops); Readings in Safavid Philosophy
(UCMCrops)
Tues. Nov. 15 The Age of Shah ‘Abbas
Thurs. Nov. 17 Discussion (Quinn)
Response paper 10 (due Nov. 15): How had Safavid kingship changed from the time of Shah
Isma`il to the time of Shah `Abbas? How would you explain the readings in Safavid philosophy
to a non-specialist?

Week 14: Nadir Shah

Reading: Axworthy, ch. 5; Ernest S. Tucker, “Nadir Shah and the Jafari Madhhab
Reconsidered” (UCMCrops).
Tues. Nov. 22 Quinn out of town: no class
Thurs. Nov. 24: Thanksgiving Holiday: no class

Week 15: Nadir Shah and the Qajars

Reading: Axworthy, ch. 5; Review all assigned Mottahedeh chapters.
Tues. Nov. 29 Nadir Shah and Qajars
Thurs. Dec. 1 Discussion: Mottahedeh (all assigned chapters)
Response paper 10 (due Dec. 1): How does Roy Mottahedeh’s Mantle of the Prophet help you to
understand the history of Iran?

Week 16: Conclusions

Reading: Axworthy, chs. 6-9.
Tues. Dec. 6 Conclusions: the Modern Period
Thurs. Dec. 8 Quiz #3
Paper #2 due online by 12:00 noon on the day of the Final exam. Please submit via
UCMCrops
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CLASS DISCUSSIONS AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Several times during the semester you will be asked to submit questions for class discussion,
which I will then use to lead the class discussion. On your scheduled discussion days, please turn
in a typed sheet of five questions, with your name at the top. Make sure your questions cannot be
answered with a simple yes or no. The response paper questions should serve as a starting point
for your own questions, and I will draw on them as well as your questions during our discussions.
Depending on how the class goes, I may also ask groups of students to take turns leading class
discussions, which will also form part of your participation grade.

Let me state from the beginning that posing interesting, insightful and thought-provoking
questions is quite an art, and I do not expect you to get the hang of it right away. I am not
interested in hearing questions about various factual details from the readings, such as “Who was
Marco Polo?” UNLESS such questions have a bearing on a later point you wish to make.
Instead, questions should focus on the main arguments in a given text. I don’t mind if you
choose questions or focus on aspects of the readings that you found particularly interesting or
difficult. As I lead the class discussion, I will ask as many questions as I can from those that have
been submitted to me. I may then call on you in class to comment on your questions, to help
facilitate the discussion, and to explain why you chose to pose that particular question.

Please feel free to consult with me before your scheduled turn to submit discussion questions. I
would be more than happy to look over the questions you have prepared and assist you in any
way that I can. Discussion questions are not graded but simply form part of your overall
participation grade.

Responsibilities of Class Members

When it is NOT your turn to submit discussion questions, your responsibility, in addition to
having done the reading and attending class, is to take part in class discussions. This should not
be too difficult if you have done the readings, and please feel free to ask me questions or bring up
points you feel are interesting. For those of you who are shy or feel you may have trouble
speaking up in class, my best advice to you would be to start participating FROM THE START!
This will give you plenty of time to become comfortable with the class format and structure.
Finally, the readings are extremely interesting in and of themselves, and there is no reason for us
to run out of things to say if everyone comes to class prepared. If I see, however, that there is not
enough class participation, I will start instituting weekly quizzes to count towards the
participation portion of your grade.
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PAPER ASSIGNMENTS
Paper #1:
Please write a paper comparing and contrasting ideas of kingship as presented in the Karnamak-i
Ardashir, the Qabusnama, and the Shahnama. Make sure to keep in mind the context in which
each text was written.

Paper #2: Please write a paper comparing and contrasting the Mongol and Safavid periods in
Iran. You may narrow down the topic however you like, but you must cite and analyze at least
four primary sources in your essay.

Papers go down 5 points each day they are turned in late.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL PAPERS:

• Please put the last four digits of your student ID number on a cover sheet only; do not put your
name anywhere on the paper.
• Papers should be typed, double-spaced, with margins of approximately one inch on all sides,
and a font size no larger than 12-point. Please number the pages of your paper.
• Make sure you are fully familiar with the difference between “plagiarism,” and paraphrasing,
and be sure to avoid plagiarism in your paper. (See above for more information on this).
• Make sure that you indicate all direct quotes, as well as any paraphrasing (indirect quotes), with
footnotes, endnotes, or references embedded in your essay. You must include page numbers in
the reference. Direct quotes should be indicated by quotation marks. You may use any system of
reference as long as you are consistent. Papers without proper referencing will be severely
penalized. Papers that do not analyze the required number of sources will also be severely
penalized.
• Quotations more than three lines long should be indented 5 spaces from each side and single-
spaced.
• A novel is a work of fiction. NONE of the texts that you will be using in this paper should be
referred to as “novels,” even though some of them might contain fictional elements.
• Please only refer to the assigned readings. Do NOT use internet sources such as Wikipedia.
• Final Note: You are fully responsible for turning in your paper on time. Any problems such as
computer viruses, printing problems, long lines at the computer center, etc., are YOUR
responsibility. These sorts of problems can be avoided by planning ahead, making back-up
copies of your files, and not waiting until the last minute to make print-outs.