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Captive Society: the Basij Militia and Social Control in Post-Revolutionary Iran

RESEARCH Book by Saeid Golkar
A crowd of people at the entrance to a market in Tehran
Julia Maudlin

Captive Society surveys the Basij's history, structure, and sociology, as well as its influence on Iranian society, its economy, and its educational system.

Iran's Basij Resistance Force is a paramilitary organization used by the regime to suppress dissidents, vote as a bloc, and indoctrinate Iranian citizens. Captive Society surveys the Basij's history, structure, and sociology, as well as its influence on Iranian society, its economy, and its educational system. Saied Golkar's account draws not only on published materials—including Basij and Revolutionary Guard publications, allied websites, and blogs—but also on his own informal communications with Basij members while studying and teaching in Iranian universities as recently as 2014. In addition, he incorporates findings from surveys and interviews he conducted while in Iran.

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About the Author
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Iran Policy
Council expert Saeid Golkar
Saeid Golkar is a senior fellow on Iran Policy and the UC Foundation associate professor in the department of political science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Previously, he held research and teaching positions at Stanford University and Northwestern University
Council expert Saeid Golkar