Yvette Hovsepian Bearce, who earned a PhD in Islamic Studies in 2013, publishes a book on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

UCLA International Institute, July 23, 2015 — Yvette Hovsepian Bearce (UCLA PhD 2013) has published her first book with Routledge: The Political Ideology of Ayatollah Khamenei (2015). The book, which is part of the UCLA Center for Middle East Development Routledge series, analyzes the development and evolution of the theocratic ideology of the Supreme Leader of Iran from 1962 to 2014., It relies on Khamenei’s own writings, speeches, and biographies, as well as other literature published in the Islamic Republic of Iran.  

The publication arrives at a propitious time, as Khamenei’s support will be critical to gaining Iranian parliamentary approval of the agreement recently negotiated between Iran, six world powers (United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany) and the European Union on the Iranian nuclear program.

Hovsepian Bearce completed a doctorate in Islamic Studies at the UCLA International Institute in 2013. Her dissertation committee was chaired by UCLA Professor Emeritus Leonard Binder and included UCLA Professors Michael Morony (history) and Steven Spiegel (political science), as well as USC Professor Richard Dekmejian (political science).

This article was first posted on July 24, 2015, and updated on September 14, 2015.

Published: Friday, July 24, 2015