Lex Fridman Podcast #334 – Abbas Amanat – Books

Abbas Amanat

Abbas Amanat is an Iranian-American historian who has made significant contributions to the study of early modern and modern Iranian history. He was born in Tehran in 1947 and received his higher education in the United States. Amanat is currently a professor of history and international studies at Yale University. his PhD at the University of Michigan. He has taught at several universities, including Yale, the University of Tehran, and the University of California, Los Angeles. Amanat has also received numerous fellowships and awards for his research, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Humboldt Research Award. Amanat's research focuses on the political, social, and cultural history of Iran from the Safavid era to the present day. He has published several influential books on these topics, including "Pivot of the Universe: Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar and the Iranian Monarchy, 1831-1896" and "Iran: A Modern History." His works have been widely praised for their depth of scholarship, originality, and engaging writing style. Amanat has made significant contributions to the study of Iranian history. His research has shed new light on the complex relationship between religion, politics, and society in Iran, as well as the interactions between Iran and the wider world. Amanat's work has helped to challenge some of the conventional narratives about Iranian history and has opened up new avenues for research and inquiry.