Banal Nationalism in Iran: Daily Re-Production of National and Religious Identity

Year 2016, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 119 - 136, 15.06.2016

Nail Elhan

Abstract

1979 yılında yaşanan İran İslam Devrimi sonrasında İslamcı politikalar kurulan yeni rejimin hem iç hem de dış politikalarının temelini oluşturmuştur. Ancak milliyetçilik de göz ardı edilmemiş ve daha da ileri gidilerek Şii İslam ve İslam öncesi Pers kültürünün harmanlanması ile bir İranlılık kimliği yaratılmıştır. Bu kimlik devlet tarafından, Şii mitolojisi, İslam öncesi Pers kültürü, anti-emperyalizm, Üçüncü Dünyacılık ve anti-Siyonizm gibi ögelerle harmanlanmış ve çok etnikli İran toplumuna ortak bir aidiyet olarak sunulmuştur. Bu aidiyet olgusunun hem İran içinde hem de İran dışında cereyan eden olaylar üzerine inşa edildiği iddia edilebilir. Bunu yaparken, İran Devleti basılması kendi tekelinde olan banknotları, madeni paraları ve posta pullarını gündelik milliyeçiliğin aracı olarak kullanmış ve bu ‘banal’ yollar ile İranlılık duygusunun her gün yeniden üretilmesine katkı yapmıştır. Böylelikle, banknotlar, madeni paralar ve posta pulları gibi görsel semboller aracılığı ile devlet, kendi oluşturduğu kimliği yine kendi içerisinde bulunan alt-ulusal kimliklerin bu resmi kimliğe saldırılarına karşı bir savunma aracı olarak banal milliyetçilik vasıtası ile kullanmış olmaktadır.

Keywords

İran Devrimi, Banal Milliyetçilik, Şiilik, Fars Kimliği, Milli Kimlik., İran Devrimi, Banal Milliyetçilik, Şiilik, Fars Kimliği, Milli Kimlik.

Banal Nationalism in Iran: Daily Re-Production of National and Religious Identity

Abstract

After its 1979 revolution, Islamism became Iran’s main policy as regards its domestic and foreign affairs. However, nationalism continued to exist. After the revolution, the national identity of Iranianness based on Shii Islam and pre-Islamic Persian history was created. By merging Shii traditions, pre-Islamic Persian culture, anti-imperialism, Third Worldism, and anti-Zionism, this new identity was introduced as one of belonging. One can claim that it was also built on common values held by Iranians living inside and outside the country. One part of this undertaking was the use of banknotes, coins, and postage stamps, which can only be issued by the state, as instruments of daily nationalism designed to constantly re-produce the desired identity among its people, in this case Iranianness. In this respect, the state uses such visual symbols to defend the official identity against the existence of sub-national identities.

Keywords

: Iranian Revolution, Banal Nationalism, Shiism, Persian Identity, National Identity, : Iranian Revolution, Banal Nationalism, Shiism, Persian Identity, National Identity

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