Quick thought before reading the rest, as it is nagging at me. Yes, one can call Americans parochial in not knowing much about other countries. However, I doubt that Brazilians, Swedes, Namibians, or Japanese know much about Iran either, nor about each other.
I got a 5 on the quiz and am appreciating learning many new things. I mostly knew about the language and some religious history. On we go.
Well said. Best friend and many other growing up in the San Fernando Valley with close contacts in Westwood and Beverly Hills means I know a few words of Persian and a bit about the situation but this was helpful. Quiz gave me an 8, but a vassel of the shah.
> Only a slight majority of Iranian citizens are ethnic Persians. The second largest group, Turkic Azeris, at around 20%, far outnumber the population of Azeris to the north who give the nation-state of Azerbaijan its name.
> More precisely, since 1000 AD every ruling dynasty in Iran with the exception of the Mongols and the short-lived Zands of the late 18th century has been of Turkic origin.
Well, the Azeris are linguistically Turkic. Are they ethnically Turkic? If you showed me pictures of an ethnic Persian, an ethnic Azeri, and an ethnic Kyrgyz, I wouldn't group the Azeri with the Kyrgyz.
Interesting article and the reference to 190s Russia. However, the fall is f the USSR led to breakaway states like Belarus and Ukraine meanwhile non-Slavic areas like the Caucuses never got true freedom
And autonomy.
All that war hawks talking about the new regime never mentioned an organized group with a leader, just nebulous talk of Westernized EHC Iranians. Makes me think your Russia analogy is more on point but I don’t know that the Kurds wouldn’t seek autonomy and perhaps independence. So many unknowns.
Quick thought before reading the rest, as it is nagging at me. Yes, one can call Americans parochial in not knowing much about other countries. However, I doubt that Brazilians, Swedes, Namibians, or Japanese know much about Iran either, nor about each other.
I got a 5 on the quiz and am appreciating learning many new things. I mostly knew about the language and some religious history. On we go.
Size matters
Ergo Federalism.
Razib, thank you for this. It was fantastic. Sending this to all and sundry!
Well said. Best friend and many other growing up in the San Fernando Valley with close contacts in Westwood and Beverly Hills means I know a few words of Persian and a bit about the situation but this was helpful. Quiz gave me an 8, but a vassel of the shah.
I like this format! A quiz to get yourself invested in learning more, then a quick, clear summary of the history of an important country.
> Only a slight majority of Iranian citizens are ethnic Persians. The second largest group, Turkic Azeris, at around 20%, far outnumber the population of Azeris to the north who give the nation-state of Azerbaijan its name.
> More precisely, since 1000 AD every ruling dynasty in Iran with the exception of the Mongols and the short-lived Zands of the late 18th century has been of Turkic origin.
Well, the Azeris are linguistically Turkic. Are they ethnically Turkic? If you showed me pictures of an ethnic Persian, an ethnic Azeri, and an ethnic Kyrgyz, I wouldn't group the Azeri with the Kyrgyz.
Interesting article and the reference to 190s Russia. However, the fall is f the USSR led to breakaway states like Belarus and Ukraine meanwhile non-Slavic areas like the Caucuses never got true freedom
And autonomy.
All that war hawks talking about the new regime never mentioned an organized group with a leader, just nebulous talk of Westernized EHC Iranians. Makes me think your Russia analogy is more on point but I don’t know that the Kurds wouldn’t seek autonomy and perhaps independence. So many unknowns.
Stunning! Your most useful piece ever. Sharing widely. Thank you!