Modernity, Sexuality, and Ideology in Iran
The Life and Legacy of a Popular Female Artist

Kamran Talattof (Author)

9780815632245

Hardback, published 1 June 2011

332 pages, 8 black and white illustrations
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.7 cm, 0.595 kg

For more than a century Iran’s social, political, and cultural history has been defined by a struggle toward or away from modernity. In this book Talatoff makes a compelling argument that, despite revolutionary upheaval, the ideals of modernity remain remote due to the absence of a modern notion of sexuality. He illustrates his assertion through the life of Shahrzad, a celebrated stage and screen actress, dancer, journalist, and published poet who eventually became imprisoned and later homeless in the streets of Tehran. Tracing her career along with other pre-revolutionary women artists, Talatoff explores the relationship between gender, sexuality, media, and modernity in Iran.