Garbzadegi

The polemical essay by Jalal Al-e Ahmad (1923–1969) gained worldwide fame and was translated into many languages. It examines Iran's internal problems through the lens of the unequal relationships between the country and the West. The term "garbzadegi"—literally translating from Persian as "defeated by the West"—was adopted by Al-e Ahmad from the Iranian thinker Ahmad Fardid and imbued with a meaning that became central—technological, cultural, and ideological dependence of Iran on the West. This essay is mistakenly interpreted as an Islamist text; however, "Garbzadegi" criticizes colonialism but not progress as such. In our days, when the confrontation between the ideologies of globalization and anti-globalization remains relevant, and the issues of searching for postcolonial national identity remain sensitive, Al-e Ahmad's work will be of interest to a wide readership.