Iranian Foreign Policy during Ahmadinejad Ideology and Actions [Hardcover]

Written for scholars and practitioners puzzled by Iran's foreign policy choices, this book argues that Iran's foreign policy behavior is best understood in the context of the regime's foreign policy ideology, which is rooted in a conception of Iran as a nation changed by the 1979 Revolution and an example to other nations in a changing world.Introduction 1. Studying Iranian Foreign Policy  A Constructivist Approach 2. Ideology and Legitimacy During Ahmadinejad's Presidency 3. International Legitimacy  Constraints and Opportunities 4. A Foreign Policy Ideology of Change 5. Iranian Foreign Policy Behavior 2005-2013 6. 'Nuclear Power is Our Right!'  The 2010 Tehran Declaration 7. Foreign Threat and Political Repression Conclusion

Maaike Warnaar belongs to that rare group of scholars who not only can produce quality research and analysis but who also manage to do so with great empathy and sense of occasion. Not surprising then that her innovative and readable book on Iran's foreign policy is so exciting! Warnaar ably challenges the prevalent Western views of Iran and the conventional wisdom that dominates interpretations of Iranian behavior through sophisticated discourse analysis that exposes the roots of the Islamic republic's political identity and the ideological drivers of its role conception. She effectively says, 'Listen to their voices and you will understand.' One does not have to agree with her conclusions, of course, to appreciate the importance of the argument and recognize the inhibiting analytical consequences of our own assumptions, and, yes, prejudices, about this complex and sophisticated country. This book is commendable and significant scholarship.'

Anoush Ehteshami, Professor of International Relations, Durham University, UK and author of Dynamics of Change in the Persian Gulf

This is a brilliant example of how systematic discourse analysis can expose the mindset of foreign policy makers. Maaike Warnalsb