Alireza Asgharzadeh
Alireza Asgharzadeh teaches the sociology of knowledge, the sociology of education, and comparative educational systems in the Department of Sociology at York University. He is the author of "Iran and the Challenge of Diversity: Islamic Fundamentalism, Aryanist Racism, and Democratic Struggles" which "interrogates the racist construction of Arya/Aria and Aryanism in an Iranian context, arguing that a racialized interpretation of these concepts has given the Indo-European speaking Persian ethnic group an advantage over Iran’s non-Persian nationalities and communities. Based on multidisciplinary research drawing on history, sociology, literature, politics, anthropology and cultural studies, Alireza Asgharzadeh critiques the privileged place of Farsi and the Persian ethnic group in contemporary Iran. The book highlights difference and diversity as major socio-political issues that will determine the future course of social, cultural, and political developments in Iran."
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NY University
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Wed Nov 24, 2010 10:24 AM PSTMs. Bredna Shaffer
Is a person with an agenda. To break up all rivals to Israel.
I started to doubt York University's quality and integrity when I learned Mr. Asgharzadeh could work there.
I am all for this idiot working there in a proper position. For example as "dar bon". However as a lecturer no way. Except for on the topic of dar booni.I am open to him advancing to janitor if he works really hard and on the weekends.
Know them by their companions!
by siavash_2003 on Wed Nov 24, 2010 09:16 AM PSTMr. Asgharzadeh has extensively quoted Mr. Naser Pourpirar (someone with not even a high-school diploma) and Ms. Bredna Shaffer (apparently a graudate student) in his so-called 'book' about Iran, the province of Azarbaijan, Arran and all.
His 'book' is very low-quality and a collection of lies and falsifications, Soviet-generated and leftist-promoted nonsense.
I started to doubt York University's quality and integrity when I learned Mr. Asgharzadeh could work there. it seems that they have no clue about Iran and its history and geography and have no expert to have a look at the references and citations that people make about Iran. they do not perform any quality checking and validation of the publications that are presented to them.
Now, some pan-turks are trumpeting this illiterate and incompetent person as 'professor' left and right, while he has not done his job as well as a good undergraduate student can do in writing a paper, that is, using reliable and quality references.
Mr. Asgharzadeh speaks with a combined hatred and ignorance towards Iran and its history. he, like his friend and source Mr Pourpirar, considers Iran's history a fabircation of Jews and Jewish scholars!
Like other readers, I like to invite Mr. Asgharzadeh to study reliable sources on the history of Iran. I also encourage him to study also talks about the racism in the territories of Baku government, like how they treat non-Turkic speakers such as Kurds, Tats, Talysh, Lezgis and other minorities and compare his results with how Turkic is treated in Iran. turkic speakers Iranians are like other Iranians and they have fought for their country. you can hear Turkic freely spoken on every streets and in bazzars and schools like other languages and dialects in Iran. not the same in Arran.
Oscar-zadeh
by AryamehrNYC on Wed Nov 24, 2010 08:15 AM PSTIt seems this guy is a revisionist type by nature. I guess he conveniently left out the fact that the Medes are in fact Kurds. Azeri's are Iranian as are Kurds, Qashqai's, etc. Someone needs to tell this clown to lay off the pipe.
Asgharzadeh
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Wed Nov 24, 2010 05:15 AM PSTHis own name is half Arabic and half Fars!! The pan Turkists pop up their racist heads once in a while here. Just to get yelled at and run off. Then a few months later like a bad penny they show up again. With the same pack of BS.
The racist pan-Turkish have been abusing the Kurds for years. Now they have the nerve to make up false racsims charges against Fars. Keep this BS up and the result will be an Iran-Armenia-Kurdish allience against pan Turks.
Azarbayejan has been a part of Iran; just like Fars has. Iran is a multi-cultural nation. With lots of groups including Azari; Fars; Kurd; Lor; Arab and so on.
Turkey on the other hand forces its culture on Kurds killing them regularly. VPK
tabriz_balasi
by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Wed Nov 24, 2010 05:08 AM PSTI am glad that you shared how you feel. I also have family from Tabriz. They consider themselves Iranian first do not feel any racism in Iran against them. The racism charges are a result of Soviet attempts to break off Azarbayejan. They came up with a myth to anger the people and create divisions. Now that the Soviet Union is gone there are still their leftovers. Specially in the leadership of Republic of Azarbayejan. People like Aliyef.
They take the young and impressionable and feed them garbage. Then get them all riled up to pick a fight with Fars and other groups. Thankfully it has failed. Iranian people no matter what their regions of origin do not want to break up. In fact many of Iranian leadership has been and is from Azarbayejan.
I have read your posts and believe that you are basically a good person. With good intentions at heart. Therefore I like to share some of my thoughts here.
Regarding the nature of Azari people and the language. I suggest this book by Ahmad Kasravi who was from Azarbayejan himself:
http://www.amazon.com/Azari-Zaban-Bastan-Azarbayga...
Regarding Islam: There are some very religious; others not so religious people in any area. Some are Muslim; others belong to different religions or none. I do not know what goes on in the heart of another person. Therefore I only speak for myself. Not for anyone else. I suggest you also speak for yourself; others speak for themselves. When we claim to speak for other people we take away their right to their opinion. Then they get angry and we get in needless arguments.
VPK
ask me...
by tabriz_balasi on Wed Nov 24, 2010 04:55 AM PSTI lived in tabriz for 16 years, we know exactly what we are, who were are and we never think that we're under pressure from Fars people. Our identity is clear, we're Muslims, and our country is Iran, and our language is Azari, and we have culture similar to Fars people as well. If there is ever a war we will fight in the path of Allah to protect the people of Iran, from all backgrounds. the concept of racism is a recent western concept that was never their. Fars and Azeri populations have been living together for a thousand years and now some people that are the enemies of Iran want us to believe that we're being oppressed by Fars people. I am sorry, but Fars people can't oppress us even if the wish to do so. and no true Azari will ever think about separating from his oun country of origin Iran. However if we are ever put under pressure by Fars people, let me assure you, we won't try to separate and run away, instead we'll kick the Fars out of our country Iran. We'll kick them out to Afghanestan or Tajikestan where they know the language and won't be troubled much. But ofcourse I was joking and this will never happen. I have many Fars friends, they might think that Azari's are little funny in their behavior, which they have the right to think that way, because we can act odd at times, BUT no way in f***** hell they are racist. But you know, some people are just born with a victom mentality and you can't help them, they get offended easly and think the worse of people. If the stupid-retarded regime in Iran had not made such a mess of the country, maybe even we could take back Republic of Azarbaijan and make them a part of Iran.
By the way, You Fars people are great. Your language is very beautiful and poetic, your music is so deep, and your girls are just beautiful, heavenly, and lovely (except their cooking skills are little off :D ). I want to say that I am not a fan of turkish-jokes, but atleast they are funny.
be an act at all times in the name of Allah.
Are you sure this fellow wishes to be Iranian of the Day ?
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Nov 24, 2010 02:46 AM PSTJust wondering ...
SEPARATIST TEMPTATIONS: Don't Let It Fool You ... Treason Exists ...
Pan-Turkist Joke
by madadi2000 on Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:55 AM PSTThis guy is not Iranian even...and the stuff he uttered is complete BS..
since when is history a democratic process? Babak Khorramdin and Medes were not Turks just like the Chinese were not Turks..
This guy is a major racist and says nothing about the oprression of ethnic minorities in the country of Aliev:
http://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C_%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86
The Turkish guy interviewing him sounded druged and his stupid laughs shows it as well..Asgharzadeh is a major racist and revisionist as can be seen here:
http://azargoshnasp.net/recent_history/atoor/responseasgharzadeh/asghrazadehresponse.htm
Due All respects to Azaris
by choghok on Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:53 PM PSTProf Asgharzadeh simply tries to call people with other opinion than himself racist, and then comes with facts that is shady. He wants to convince us that Medes is really another word for Azeri turks.
Well it is easy to check the encyclopedias to see that Herdotous that lived in the same time said "The Medes were called anciently by all people Aryans; but when Medea, the Colchian, came to them from Athens, they changed their name. Such is the account which they themselves give"
The problem with extreme nationalistic or religious feelings is that facts are bent to proof our beleif instead of objectively looking at the facts.
If the medes were suppose to be a turkic language group show us some writing on a wall, or book, or anything that would support it.
That said I beleive in that people should be free to speak their language and learn their language in school. So it does not matter if Azaris or Azeris are Aryans or not, they have right to learn their language and have their own costums.
How about we discuss the Tylish
by Parthianshot91 on Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:57 PM PSTThe tylish and Tat Persian minorities in North Azerbeyjan, and how they're mistreated?
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"They are not afraid of the ideology alone, but of the detemination and will of the men behind it"