For nearly thirty years, with the immigration of a relatively large number of Iranians, especially to the United States, the question of the identity of these new immigrants and the dilemma of Iranian-Americanness regarding both the first generation and, in particular, the second generation, many of whom were born in the United States, has become increasingly important not only to scholars but also to these immigrants and their children. Hyphenated Identities: Second-Generation Iranian-Americans Speak is comprised of first-person narratives encompassing the reflections, ideas, and self-expressions of a number of young second-generation Iranian-Americans, each of whom, from his or her own perspective, explores questions pertaining to identity and in particular hyphenated identity both in the individual and collective sense of the term. Readers should find these individual responses to the question of identity fascinating as well as unique, novel, and enlightening. Readers will also find that to these young Iranian-Americans, in contrast to the first generation for the most part, as the editor writes, "the hyphen is not conflicted, but harmonious. It is not hesitant, but proud. The hyphen no longer feels like an arm extended, keeping distance between the names, between the identities. Instead, it feels like a bridge, like two arms extended and holding hands, welcoming both identities to mesh into one unique entity."

The volume embraces hyphenates of all types, blends of cultures, religions and races, all with stories of their own, with individualized ideas, ideals and identities.