Within his account of the Islamic Revolution, The Priest and the King, Desmond Harney, a former British diplomat in Teheran, made reference to the “old Iranian conviction of ‘the hand of the...Show moreWithin his account of the Islamic Revolution, The Priest and the King, Desmond Harney, a former British diplomat in Teheran, made reference to the “old Iranian conviction of ‘the hand of the English’ (dast-e Englis-ha).” The most obvious manifestations of the British presence in Iran during the 1970s were the British Foreign Office (FCO) and the BBC Persian Service (BBCPS). The BBCPS was significant as a media enterprise, in relation to the heavily censored domestic Iranian media, but also due to the part it played in the triangle which existed between the BBCPS, the British FCO and the Shah. The Shah believed that it was, in part, the BBC that had instigated, or at least promoted, the unrest which resulted in the 1979 revolution. Was this paranoia on the part of the Shah, or was it justified? A consideration of archival sources in the BBC written archives and the FCO archives during the decade preceding the Iranian Revolution helps to elucidate the complex relationship which existed between the BBCPS and the British FCO, while also providing some sort of answers as to why the Shah felt so threatened by the activities of a foreign media institution.Show less
This thesis focuses on the Ottoman-Russian diplomatic encounters which took place in Livadia, Crimea in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The welcoming delegations constituted an imperial...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the Ottoman-Russian diplomatic encounters which took place in Livadia, Crimea in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The welcoming delegations constituted an imperial tradition and these diplomatic encounters not only attest the dynastic rivalry of dominance over Black Sea region but also refer to the interactions between the two empires. By revealing the ways in which the bureaucratic encounters reflected the Ottoman-Russian political rivalry, this thesis contributes to the discussion on how the Ottoman Empire’s bureaucratic cadre perceived the Russian Empire and the diplomatic encounters. This research analyzes the implications of the Livadia reports as expressions of foreign relations and their value with respect to the transforming bureaucratic system in the late Ottoman Empire. The thesis also examines the imperial rivalry and symbolism which arises from the Livadia reports in relation to political issues at stake between the two empires. In addition, this thesis identifies two bilateral concerns underlying the imperial rivalry and symbolism; naval concerns and concerns over minorities.Show less
