Book excerpt: First Published in 1980. The events which took place in Iran during the time of original publication took the world by surprise. A little reflection however will suggest that they were not inexplicable prodigies. They constitute rather a manifestation, albeit sudden and astonishing, of a social, intellectual and political crisis in the throes of which Iran has found itself. The eleven studies included in this book are devoted to the examination of one or other aspect of this crisis and aim to clarify the origins and character of the crisis.