Drugs and Revolution in Iran: Islamic Devotion,Revolutionary Zeal and Republican Means

On 27 June 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini declared, ‘drugs are prohibited” and their trafficking, consumption and “promotion” were against the rules of Islam and could not take place in the Islamic Republic. This ruling, although informal in nature, sanctioned a swift re-direction of Iran's previous approach to narcotic drugs, both in terms of production and consumption. As had happened in 1955, Iran seemed ready to go back to a policy of total prohibition and eradication of opiates, this time under the banner of Islam rather than that of the international drug control regime. Drugs and the politics surrounding them have been a crucial, yet neglected, aspect of the history of modern Iran that have changed the nature of the state bolstering its capacity of social intervention, while hindering its legitimacy, in the Pahlavi, as in the republican, era. By moving on “from the analysis of the state to a concern with the actualities of social subordination”, this article attempts to interpret how social subordination and state coercion were practiced and defied in the making of punishment and welfare in the social body of Iran.     

'You'll see how big we are': Journey into America

This is a review of Akbar Ahmed's documentary Journey into America. Produced and narrated by Akbar Ahmed; directed by Craig Consadine, 2009, 99 minutes.     

汪精卫叛国投敌心理探究

1938年底,正当中国抗战进入相持阶段时,国民党第二号人物汪精卫走上了叛国投敌的道路。一度扮演过英姿风发、慷慨悲歌的民主主义革命斗士的汪精卫何以最终堕落为遗臭万年的汉奸?汪氏叛国投敌的心理动机何在?本文拟就此作一探究。     

A Journey Into Tibet

MyheartoftenbeatswarmlywheneverTibetismentioned.Itsnaturalbeautv-snow-cov-eredmountainsandbluesky-thenumerouslegendsofthesnowlandanditsmysteriousreligion,alwayscreatedanenchantingspellforusPekingUniversitystudents.Iyearnedtovisit,andthechancefinallycamelastsummer.TogetherwithsomeGermanstudentsfromtheuniversity,weleftBeijingforXiningbytrain.OnceintheQinghaicapita1,wetookawell-furnishedcoachandbegantheone-monthjourney.TIBETAN.WestoppedoverinGolmud,and,aswewereabouttoleave,someTibetanscame…     

A Journey Into Tibet

IhadtheexperienceoftakingacargotruckfromChengdutoLhasa,crossingadistanceof3,300kminoneweek.IwasdeeplyimpressedbythevastsweepofdesertSpreadingintothefardistanceunderthebluesky.Witheasyaccesstomoderntransporttools,journeyingintoTibetisnolongersomethingimpossible.Thosewhowishtogotherefastmaytakeaplane.Forinstance,aplanetripfromBeijingtoLhasatakesonlysomefourhours.Overlookingtheundulatingsnowymountainsdownbelow,onefeelslikebeinginafairyworld.Nomatterwhattransportmeansyouresortto,airinLhasaisin…     

A Journey INTO QAMOD

ManypeopleintheworldknowBoshulha,Tanyiantawen,andDamaIa-Mangkangarethreefamousmountainsystems,butfewhaveclimbedthem.ManypeopleintheworldknowNujiang,LancangjiangandJinshajiangarethethreemajorriversinFbet,butveryfewhavedrittedonthem.InQamdo,therearemanytouristsitesadmiredbytheworId.Theyarelocat-edamidsnow-cappedmountains,fast-runningriversandthunderinQwater-falls,anddenseforests.Thenthereareancientmonasteries,buiIdings,steles,viIlagesandworkshops-somanyspotsdatingbacktoancienttimes.Qamdois…     

A Journey INTO Xiangtang

Xiangke Town, seat of Xiangtang County, sleeps in thebosom of emerald mountains skirted by the picturesque Duke River and the GarmaStream. The environment forms a beautiful picture that impresses visitors withsnow-capped mountains, sparklingrivers, and forests under a blue sky.Inside the town, with a population ofsome 9,000, there are two cementstreets in the shape of a "T" Flankingthe streets are buildings and stores. Atdusk, the town is lit up, and the localsbegin to enjoy their nightlif…     

A Journey Into Siquanhe

Crossing the Sangsang Grasslands, Zongba Desert and high mountains, we reached the motherly lake of Mampang Yumco and went deep into the valley of Gangrenboqe. Six days after our stay in Xigaze, we finally got to Siquanhe Town, where the government of the Ngari Administrative Prefecture is located.It was dark when we arrived and we found our-