Iranian national identity

Iranian national identity

Identity is the way, how we are perceiving ourselves. It represents our place in society. Its summary of our identification with various groups according to categories, which we considered significant as religion, language, nationality, gender etc. With states its similar.

Iranian national identity is quite aptly presented in country name: Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran understand itself as part of Islamic world, ruled by Sharia law. It is important to note that even when official state religion is Twelver Shia Islam, Iran does not represent itself as distinctive Shia state. Secondly term Islamic Republic represents revolutionary, democratic modernity, in comparison with previous autocratic regime of Pahlavi dynasty. In addition to, its sign of sovereignty of rule of Islamic Umma. On the contrary, if the name of country is Republic of Islamic Iran emphasis is more put of democracy feature that of Islamic identity which could have possibly, later on various consequences.

Last feature is use of term Iran instead of Persia. Iran is much broader term as Persia so it seems to be more suitable for description of common identity of citizens. Some, but not all anthropological theories claim that for identity and identification (these two are inseparable) religion and language are to most important features of Identity. So in keeping this in mind, term Iran (land of Aryans) could better encompass various nationalities with their languages as term Persia. However, some nationalities especially latecomers as Turkman seems to be neglected. But of course it caused by richness of Iranianess that it could not be expressed in one word.

So from my perspective the official name of the country is best example for description of Iranian national identity, especially because it illustration how Iranian revolutionaries understand themselves and their place in world.

Only word revolutionary with it deep meaning is missing, but who at that time was thinking that to be revolutionary will become a mindset.