Religion, State, and the Rule of Law in Modern Iran

Harvard FAS

This course examines the concept of law in Iran from a historical perspective, focusing on the clash between religious and secular authority. It surveys the current Iranian legal system, exploring the role of sharīʿa, the place of Islam in the Constitution, and the impact of sharīʿa on areas of law such as family and criminal law. Taking a historical approach, the course traces the development of the Iranian legal system by focusing on the rises and falls of juristic authority in…