Introduction
This webquest is intended to give background on the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the events leading up to and surrounding the graphic memoir Persepolis. Having a better understanding of the political climate and culture of the time in Iran will lead to a more enriching reading experience for you once we launch into reading Persepolis next week.
By understanding how growing up in this environment formed and led to the identity of Marjane (the author and main character of the book), students should be able to start reflecting on the events, culture, and people around them who have formed their own identity.
Task
You have just started an exciting new summer internship with Pantheon Books. You are excited to get to know more about the publishing world and how an idea can go from a writer sitting alone in a coffee shop with a laptop to being read by someone in another country in a totally different coffee shop--times several thousand if your publishing house does their job the right way.
Your first assignment is working on the fifteenth anniversary edition of the graphic memoir, Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi. The updated edition is to include extensive annotations and footnotes with background information on the Iranian Revolution and the culture of Iran at the time up to the modern day.
Besides just making sure you get your college credit and a good reference for your resume, your work will recieve final approval from Satrapi herself, so you know it needs to be accurate and thorough. Your deadline is three days out, so you know you will need to be efficient and concise.
You and your fellow interns have decided to break up into groups in order to cover more ground and tackle different parts of the text and the historical or cultural context that goes with it. You have to work with your group to create a powerpoint presentation on your findings in order to get approval from your internship coordinator and the editor.
Good luck!
Process
To Start with, for everyone:
Timeline - Timeline of Modern Iran and its revolutions
Now, within your groups divide up the following tasks and create a presentation through Google slide which you can share with the class and your peers.
Group 1 - Rise of the Islamic Revolution
1979 Iranian Revolution - Overview, background, and timeline, another history, After the Revolution
Fundamentalist Uprising/ Switch to fundamentalism - Fundamentalism (REALLY LONG! - Scroll Down to at least 1979, especially around section labelled IDEOLOGICAL DIVISIONS IN ISLAMIC MOVEMENTS)
Ayatollah Khomeini - http://www.iranchamber.com/history/rkhomeini/ayatollah_khomeini.php
U.S. Involvement - Timeline, CIA involvement
Theocracy - Islam in Iranian Government
Group 2 - Fall of the Shah
White Revolution/British& U.S. Involvement - Overview,
The Shah/End of Shah's Reign - http://www.iranchamber.com/history/mohammad_rezashah/mohammad_rezashah.php, Fall of the Shah/Switch to Islamic State
2500 year celebration - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,500_year_celebration_of_the_Persian_Empire
Group 3 - Women's Roles/Rights
Women's Rights - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/5217424.stm, Islam vs. Secularization
The Veil - Fundamentalist Islam and the veil,
Dowry - Marriage Ceremony (look around third picture down),
Lots of other articles and resources to choose from -
Group 4 - Iran/Iraq War
Iraqi Bombings/Iran-Iraq War - Overview, More details, History
Scud Missiles - Scud Missiles , Air & Space Museum
Group 5 - Revolutionary Guard/ Guardians of the Revolution
Revolutionary Guard - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7064353.stm,
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/irans-revolutionary-guards
Group 6 - Customs and Culture
Codes of Behavior (Can be divided up further) - Cultural Norms
Islam - at Major Religions (double check for biases), Overview at Patheos
Martyrdom - Martyrdom in the Shii
Punk Rock (music and culture) - Allmusic, BBC, Punk Subculture, Sociological Study on Punk Subculture
Evaluation
W 12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source while following a standard format for citation.
*_______No Evidence (plagiarism or non-participation [not doing your part in the group])
Conclusion
*Share the final completed projects to Google Classroom before 8pm on Sunday, September 23rd. Feel free to work from home before then, but be sure to consult with your group to make sure everyone is on the same page and doing the same amount of work.
*Each group will submit their complete Powerpoint (Google Slide) or a link to their Prezi altogether
*Presentations will be held and students will share the information they found on their topic.
Credits
Adapted from other webquests on Persepolis, including "Persepolis: A Background to a Revolution" by Joyner, "Behind Persepolis: THe Islamic Revolution" by Joli Moore and "1979 Revolution and the Creation of the IRGC Guard" by Jennifer Roberstson.