Neda’s Death: The Video that Ignited a Nation

Complete video at: Sociology professor Charles Kurzman addresses the unprecedented visual record of the 2009 Iranian election protests. He discusses the viral video of protester Neda Agha-Soltan’s death, praising the cameraman’s bravery and media savvy for daring to take the close-up shot that, he says, made the video so moving. ----- In the Western media and Iran, supporters and opponents of the so-called Green Movement both have used the term “velvet revolution“ to describe what Iran has gone through in the aftermath of its June presidential election. What are the local, regional, and global factors that facilitate and block sociopolitical changes in the country? The conversation features Charles Kurzman (University of North Carolina), Abdolali Rezai (University of Calgary), and Danny Postel (Journalist and Activist), with an introduction from Simon Critchley (The New School). - New School Charles Kurzman is a Professor of Sociology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His recent research is in the area of Islamic studies. He is an author of several books and many articles. Among his most prominent publications are: The Unthinkable Revolution in Iran and Democracy Denied, 1905-1915: Intellectuals and the Fate of Democracy.