Politics

Politics

Brooks’ work discusses the continuous conflict between the Bakhtiari khans (tribal leaders) despite considerable external pressures, the effect of British presence in the region, and intra-/inter-tribal relations.

1. ‘The Enemy Within’ describes the historically troubled economic and political interactions between Iranian tribal groups and the state. It features in volume ‘The Conflict of Tribe and State in Iran and Afghanistan’ which came about as a result of the 1979 SOAS conference organised by Richard Tapper and David Brooks.

▸ Read Brooks, D.H.M, The Enemy Within: Limitations on Leadership in the Bakhtiari’ in Tapper, R (1983) The Conflict of Tribe and State in Iran and Afghanistan, Croom Helm, London p337-362 (copies in Bill Bryson Library)

2. ‘The Political Leadership of the Bakhtiari’ was a lecture delivered by Brooks on Thursday 16^th November 1967 to The British Institute of Persian Studies’ AGM at the British Academy, Burlington Gardens, London. The lecture outlines the dramatic environment of the Bakhtiari, their political structure, and fascinating process of feud resolution. (Many thanks to BIPS for their invaluable information and permission to reproduce the text.)

▸ Read Brooks, D.H.M, (1967),’The Political Leadership of the Bakhtiari, a migratory tribe in S.W Iran’, BIPS AGM, London [pdf]

View David’s collection of photos of historical leaders.

These can be viewed at the Palace Green library, Durham where they are held in the archive.

Also in the archive is a box of documents from the National archives relating to Bakhtiari tribal history. These documents have been scanned onto a USB stick which is held at Palace Green and are available upon request; they can also be viewed first hand.

Further information about Bakhtiari politics can be found in the Dancing the World archive. Click here for direct access to the pdf files: Seifullah Khan, Kalantars and The Kalantar text outline