Mohammad Pirvali (محمد پیرولی) 穆罕默德

Academic CV

Mohammad Pirvali (محمد پیرولی) · PhD Candidate in World History · Southwest University (西南大学), Chongqing, China

Biography

I am Mohammad Pirvali (محمد پیرولی), an Iranian PhD candidate in World History at Southwest University (西南大学) in China, where I began my doctoral studies in September 2022 under the supervision of Professor Ji Kaiyun (冀开运). I am also a research member of the university's Iranian Studies Center.

My doctoral research studies the Iranian Cossack Brigade (1879–1921) through an institutionalist lens, tracing how a force created as an instrument of Russian imperial influence became associated with centralization, the 1921 coup and the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty. My wider interests include Qajar and modern Iranian history, Iran–Russia and Soviet relations, Iran–China historical exchange along the Silk Road, the origins of the qanat, and the Iranian diaspora.

Before returning to full-time research, I earned an MA in International Law at Beijing Jiaotong University and spent roughly a decade working on Iran–China industrial and infrastructure projects. That experience informs my interest in how states, institutions and foreign powers interact.

Education

  1. September 2022 – present

    Southwest University (西南大学)

    PhD candidate, World History

    Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)

  2. September 2012 – July 2015

    Beijing Jiaotong University (北京交通大学)

    MA, International Law

    Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)

  3. September 2011 – September 2012

    Central China Normal University (华中师范大学)

    Chinese language studies (non-degree)

Doctoral research

The Iranian Cossack Brigade (1879–1921): An Imperial Instrument and State-Building — An Institutionalist Analysis

Original title: 《伊朗哥萨克旅研究（1879–1921）：帝国工具与国家建构——一个制度主义的分析》

Descriptive English translation of the Chinese working title; not the official university-approved English title.

Supervisor
Professor Ji Kaiyun (冀开运)
Status
Dissertation research in progress

The dissertation examines how the Iranian Cossack Brigade evolved from an instrument of Russian imperial influence in Iran into an institution associated with centralization, the 1921 coup and the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty.

Languages

Persian
Native
Mandarin Chinese
Advanced professional proficiency (HSK 5)
English
Fluent, spoken and written

Skills

Professional experience

Professional background prior to and alongside doctoral study; not academic appointments.

  1. January 2022 – December 2023

    General Manager

    Silk Road Industrial Development Company

    Industrial investment coordination in Iran's Qeshm Free Zone.

  2. June 2017 – January 2022

    Deputy General Manager

    China–Iran Andia Steel Group

    Industrial operations and government liaison in Iran.

  3. May 2016 – May 2017

    Business Consultant

    China Railway No. 2 Engineering Group, International Division

    Business liaison and translation for the Tehran–Qom–Isfahan high-speed rail project.

  4. May 2013 – June 2016

    Overseas Market Manager

    CNPC-affiliated pipeline materials and equipment company

    Iran–China oil-and-gas equipment trade and market coordination.