This volume brings together a selection of essays from the Lecture Series in Baha'i studies at the University of Haifa. Each chapter explores an aspect of the Baha'i religion, including its history, community, culture and theoretical perspectives on contemporary issues. The authors discuss topics including the family and descendants of the Bab (founder of the religion from which the Baha'i Faith emerged), the influential role of Baha'i schools in the modernization of education in Iran, the process of introducing the law of monogamy into the Iranian Baha'i community, early connections between Swiss citizens and Baha'is in the Middle East, the rich and varied landscape of Persian Baha'i poetry, and the role of African Americans in the development of the US Baha'i community, particularly with regard to race relations and the principle of the oneness of humanity. Also presented in this volume are Baha'i perspectives on contemporary topics including changing conceptions of work and work values, the role of apologetics in interfaith dialogue, and the issue of 'defamation of religions' in international human rights discourse. This book will be of interest to readers in various disciplines in the humanities and social sciences who want to become informed in more depth about a wider range of topics in the emerging field of Baha'i studies.

Despite growing interest in the Baha'is of Iran, research on the history of this often-persecuted minority community has been limited by the availability of sources. 'The Baha'is of Iran, Transcaspia and the Caucasus' will help to fill this gap by assembling for the first time original material from Russian archives. Volume 1 of this set showcases letters from the Rozen collection, including those of diplomats, army officers and scholars, candidly revealing the Russian perspective on developments concerning the Baha'is in Iran and Russia. In addition to the complete texts in their original languages, the authors provide both annotated translations and analytical introductions which supply essential background information, thus making this book an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Babi and Baha'i history, the history of religion and minorities, Russo-Persian relations or Qajar Iran.