Spotlighting an Author - Ali Mirsepassi: The Discovery of Iran: Taghi Arani, a Radical Cosmopolitan

On April 8, 2022, the Iran 1400 Project spoke with Dr. Ali Mirsepassi about his book The Discovery of Iran: Taghi Arani, A Radical Cosmopolitan. Dr. Mirsepassi outlined the key events in Taghi Arani’s life, analyzing his work and his influence on Iranian nationalism, Marxist materialism, and cosmopolitanism. A vibrant Q&A session featured a back and forth between Dr. Mirsepassi and Dr. Ervand Abrahamian, where they debated Arani’s relationship (or lack thereof) with nationalism and Arianism. Other questions further addressed Arani’s impact on Iran as a whole and how Iranians can still learn from him today.