It is with great pleasure that I introduce this inaugural issue of DĀNESH: The OU Undergraduate Journal of Iranian Studies. The initiative for this journal grew from the hard work and dedication of undergraduate students in the University of Oklahoma’s Iranian Studies Program. In particular, I would like to acknowledge Andrew Akhlaghi (MA 2016) and Elena Gharipour (BA 2016) for their tireless effort in leading this project from its inception, in the spring of 2015, to the publication of this inaugural issue .

Since the founding of the OU Iranian Studies Program in 2011, our goal has been to promote knowledge regarding all aspects of the history, culture, society, and politics of Iran and the Persianate world. As the program has grown over the past five years, the work of OU undergraduate students in the field of Iranian Studies has become truly outstanding. The publication of DĀNESH, a peer-reviewed journal published under the auspices of the OU Iranian Studies Program and the OU College of International Studies, is dedicated to highlighting the research of a growing undergraduate program in Iranian Studies at the University of Oklahoma. As we continue to mature, we are confident that the vitality of the program will be reflected in the pages of this journal.

The name of the journal, DĀNESH, comes from the Persian word meaning knowledge, learning, and wisdom. We believe this is a fitting name for a journal that seeks to foster deep and compassionate understanding of one of the world’s most culturally rich and historically complex civilizations. It is with this goal in mind that we inaugurate the publication of DĀNESH.