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9781009623902

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'For much of the past century, Iran and Türkiye have occupied an intertwined space in the U global imaginary-a geopolitical love triangle that has had quite real effects on all three nations. Perin Gürel follows the comparisons through their many permutations during the Cold War through the War on Terror, bringing together diplomatic history, popular culture and public discourse in three national frameworks. This is a crucial book for understanding a key region.' Brian T. Edwards, Author of After the American Century: The Ends of US Culture in the Middle East 'This insightful, deeply researched book brings an anti-imperialist and feminist perspective to the triangulated history of the US, Iran, and Turkey. Working in three languages, Gürel provides nothing less than an alternative cultural and political history of the region. Her riveting account shows how theories of modernization, ideas about gender, and fears of the 'wrong kind' of Islam shaped not only US policy in the region, but also the fundamental stakes of nationalism in both Turkey and Iran. This is international history at its best – sophisticated, nuanced, and a compelling read.' Melani McAlister, Professor of American Studies and International Affairs, George Washington University 'Perin Gürel's Türkiye, Iran, and the Politics of Comparison offers the most insightful and theoretically rich answer to the question of where Turkey and Iran have been situated in the modern geopolitics of what W. E. B. Du Bois called 'the global color line' throughout the 20th century. Gürel's brilliantly formulated chapters are full of gems, such as the story of the reception of Malcolm X and Muhammed Ali in West Asia, the utilization of Islamic mysticism for grand strategy and diplomacy, and the triangulated politics of veiling and unveiling in national image making in Iran and Turkey. The book shows how a global approach to American, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies can enrich our interdisciplinary understanding of the international politics of race and religion, in addition to showing the significance of gender analysis in making sense of decolonization and cold war.' Cemil Aydın, Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 'A genuine tour de force, Gurel's deeply researched and brilliantly argued analysis of the politics of comparison is essential reading not only for those concerned with imperial knowledge production, but for anyone concerned with global politics from the Cold War to the present.' Penny Von Eschen, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of History and American Studies, The University of Virginia

Author Information

Perin E. Gürel is Associate Professor of American Studies and Concurrent Associate Professor of Gender Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She is the author of The Limits of Westernization: A Cultural History of America in Turkey (2017) and her articles have appeared in leading journals, including American Quarterly, American Literary History, and Diplomatic History. Gürel is the winner of the 2020 Jack Rosenbalm Prize for American Humor Studies and has held fellowships and grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, American Research Institute in Turkey, the Institute of Turkish Studies, and elsewhere. Her debut fantasy novel, Laleh and the Language of the Birds, a feminist retelling of a classic Sufi legend, is forthcoming in 2026.

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