Mohammad Rasouli; Nematollah Fazeli
Abstract
In the present paper, the transformations in Iranians’ memory (with an emphasis on their religiosity) is explained and the role of power relations is analyzed. For this purpose, three types of memory technologies (oral, literacy (print) and digital (electronic)) and their impacts on the formation ...
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In the present paper, the transformations in Iranians’ memory (with an emphasis on their religiosity) is explained and the role of power relations is analyzed. For this purpose, three types of memory technologies (oral, literacy (print) and digital (electronic)) and their impacts on the formation of memory ecologies in different periods (pre-modern, modern, and the present) will be discussed. Then, the role of power relations in the production, accumulation, and transition of Iranian religious memory (or religious information, knowledge and rituals) is analyzed, based on the approach and method of "cultural analysis". It will be shown that with the transition to the modern era, the power of agency and role of Iranians in their religious memory shifted from the public toward the benefits of the intellectuals and the state. In fact, the argument is that in the modern era, the power of Iranians' memory production and reproduction in terms of redefining the position of religion declined, and instead the role of modern structures (such as literacy)— through the production of intellectuals’ meta-memories as well as the state—increased. However, as will be mentioned, with the advent of digital (or electronic) memory technologies in the production, accumulation, and transition of religious knowledge as well as memory, the Iranians’ memory ecology has been transformed once again, and thereby, the (religious) meta-memories are being replaced by the plural memories and the role of Iranian public agency in their religious memory is being restored.
Nematollah Fazeli; Hossein Sarvi
Nematollah Fazeli; Meisam Ahrabian Sadr
Abstract
Nematollah Fazeli Meisam Ahrabian Sadr Date of Receive: 2009/5/24Date of Accept: 2010/4/28AbstractIn the thirteenth century Iran, there was triple full-covering clothing – Chador-Ruband-Chaqchur – in which women were encompassed, during their public and civic presence, so that almost no part ...
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Nematollah Fazeli Meisam Ahrabian Sadr Date of Receive: 2009/5/24Date of Accept: 2010/4/28AbstractIn the thirteenth century Iran, there was triple full-covering clothing – Chador-Ruband-Chaqchur – in which women were encompassed, during their public and civic presence, so that almost no part of her body could be seen. Such clothing was creating various possibilities, routines, and margins; in other words, in the context of social behavior, this kind of clothing was used, evaluated, and connected to the texture of everyday action, but its very essence found its importance and prominence in connection with two basic functions: covering and deforming. Women’s clothing went to fight with defined forms and specific shapes. This clothing surrounded bodies, and wiped out their boundaries. So, anything surrounded by Chador and Ruband disappeared and remained hidden from eyes. Secrecy, like a shield, like a hiding fortress, drew a secure shell around bodies, removed them from objective surface and gently pushed them into the depths. Nevertheless, one can ask at what time and in what regularity women’s clothing became a social problem, and why and in accordance to what specific objective necessity the request for revising was arisen? In the way of answering to this question, a wider process can be considered. In fact, from the middle ages ofthirteenth century, confronting with obstacles were on the way of Iran’s new changes, actors were invited to struggle with manifestations and appearances of secrecy.After a short introduction, discussing the issue, and referring to some theoretical and methodological topics, this text presents a historical review of secrecy process in thirteenth century Iran, in three phases: in the first part, there is a description about daily use of women’s clothing, its conditions and requirements; the second part talks about the routine and flexible functions of this kind of clothing; and finally, based on descriptions and implications of previous parts, the last part refers to the results of this process, considering the perceptible ruptures and breaks that the rule of covering could create at that time.
nematollah fazeli; roozbeh kardouni
Volume 15, Issue 41 , August 2008, , Pages 125-161
Abstract
This paper examines the discursive structure of Hashemiye Rafsanjani s state welfare discourse in the years 1368- 1376. [t is intended to find out and demonstrate all the main elements of the welfare discourse through Interpretation and recognition of meanings of the discourse examined in its socio-historical ...
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This paper examines the discursive structure of Hashemiye Rafsanjani s state welfare discourse in the years 1368- 1376. [t is intended to find out and demonstrate all the main elements of the welfare discourse through Interpretation and recognition of meanings of the discourse examined in its socio-historical context. The significant of is study can be explained by the fact that social welfare has always been one of the outrnost criteria of assessing the amount of achievement of all states. It is also a common interest of the states and citizens. This study is methodological based• on Focult s andFercluagh s discourse analysis approach and method. Ferclogh distinguishes three levels of discourse analysis including descriptive, interpretive and explanatory levels. This paper consists of definition of the problem, literature review, and methodology and the data analysis. It is discussed and argued that the social welfare policies of Development Discourse of Rafsanjani state were oriented towards and focused on economical welfare factors such as housing: social insurance, work, and subsides. In this discourse other aspects of welfare such as political factors were ignored and excluded form the state policies
nematollah fazeli
Volume 13, Issue 36 , February 2007, , Pages 103-144
Abstract
This paper is an ethnographic account of lranianmigrants celebration of Norooz (Iranian New Year) in Britain. It tries to pose a new theoretical approach to understand Norooz in the context of modern world. This theoretical approach has been explained in the first section of the paper. Other sections ...
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This paper is an ethnographic account of lranianmigrants celebration of Norooz (Iranian New Year) in Britain. It tries to pose a new theoretical approach to understand Norooz in the context of modern world. This theoretical approach has been explained in the first section of the paper. Other sections examine the global dimensions of Norooz and its historical context since the ancient time to contemporary period. Then, we offer an ethnographic description of the celebration of Norooz in Britain. The last two sections are dedicated to analyzing the cultural functions of Norooz in the context of modern world, globalization and migration. I have tried to explain how and to what extend Norooz has changed and developed in the context of globalization and mediazation. My general argument is that Norooz is a very flexible ritual and has been able to accommodate itself in all historical changes and contexts throughout the history. Iranian migrants in Britain and other countries celebrate Norooz to present their Iranian identity and to communicate with their children through Norooz. Also, Norooz has many economic and cultural functions for the migrants. I have in this paper demonstrated that the celeberation of Norooz has changed in Iran too.
nematollah fazeli
Volume 13, Issue 33 , May 2006, , Pages 65-110
Abstract
This article examines how and why to teach anthropological courses based on my own and other anthropologists' experiences. The aim of the article is to help to promote education of anthropology in Iran. In the Introduction, the subject matter andmetbodological issues of this study are explained. Then, ...
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This article examines how and why to teach anthropological courses based on my own and other anthropologists' experiences. The aim of the article is to help to promote education of anthropology in Iran. In the Introduction, the subject matter andmetbodological issues of this study are explained. Then, in the First part, (The Research Problem), the significance of university teaching methods, particularly teaching methods in humanities and social sciences are discussed. The Second part deals with the question of relevance and significance of teaching anthropolo&'Y courses focusing on the state of the discipline in Iran. The Third part discusses the content of anthropology courses. The next part explains and introduces strategics and methods of teaching anthropology courses. The last part examines educational and teaching problems in anthropology courses in Iranian universities.
nematollah fazeli
Volume 12, Issue 30 , August 2005, , Pages 1-44
Abstract
Recent records of the Institute of Scientific Information (ISi) show that Iranian scientific productions in humanities are poor. Also, Shanghai University in China released a list of 500 most productive and internationally credited universities of the world in 2003. There was no mention of any Iranian ...
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Recent records of the Institute of Scientific Information (ISi) show that Iranian scientific productions in humanities are poor. Also, Shanghai University in China released a list of 500 most productive and internationally credited universities of the world in 2003. There was no mention of any Iranian university in this list. Also, recent statistics show that even the number of Iranian articles in humanities disciplines have been lessened since 1979. All these evidences are based on Iranian recorded articles in the ISi. Regarding these facts, humanities disciplines in Iran are currently facing a big challenge. Due to this challenge, the question that I want to examine and focus on in this article is "can we assess the sate of scientific production in Iranian humanities disciplines based on that criterion, meaning the article published in international journals and recoded in the ISi?" I have discussed that examining this question is theoretically and practically significant to development of Iranian humanities because it is related to some policies that· are now going on in Iranian higher education system, and it is epistemologically relevant to the nature of theses disciplines in Iran. I have argued that although publication in international academic journals is important and can show part of a country's contribution to world scientific community, it is by no means an adequate criterion to assess the overall state of humanities in Iran in particular and other non-Western countries in general. Doing so, I have argued that humanities disciplinary functions and culture are different from those of natural science disciplines. Humanities disciplines are comparatively Jess universal and more local than other disciplines. Also, there are some discourse and social differences between Western and non-Western humanities disciplines. These differences do not easily allow to non-Western academics to participate to European based knowledge discourses. In my opinion humanities disciplines are not science in the sense that we attribute this term to natural science disciplines. Therefore, we should evaluate the functions of humanities based on their role in a society's cultural dialogue, and how these disciplines help people to make sense their Iifeworld, rather than explaining and discovering universal laws. In the last section of the article I have proposed and discussed some policies and strategies such as internationalization of the higher education system, promoting academic socialization and literacy, and strengthening academic autonomy and freedom. These policies may provide an appropriate ground for promoting and advancing humanities in Iran.
nematollah fazeli
Volume 11, Issue 25 , May 2004, , Pages 1-41
Abstract
This article is a review of some of global trends in the institution of higher education. In the introduction it discusses the problem of understanding higher education in the age of globalization and information technology. From this point of view, it seems that there are many crisis in higher education ...
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This article is a review of some of global trends in the institution of higher education. In the introduction it discusses the problem of understanding higher education in the age of globalization and information technology. From this point of view, it seems that there are many crisis in higher education around the world. It has been argued that the real crisis is our inability to understand what is going and happening in the higher education institution. The second part of the article examines the impact of globalization of higher education focusing on computer and digital technologies. Massification and internationalization are two global trends in higher education that are discussed in the next parts of this article. The next part dedicated to the state of Iranian higher education. Here some of the problems and characters of Iranian higher education are discussed. At the end, some suggestions to develop the Iranian higher education system have been presented by the writer.
nematollah fazeli
Volume 10, Issue 24 , February 2004, , Pages 61-99
Abstract
This article examines and introduces "discussion" as a way of teaching in university. It argues that one of the causes of inefficiency of academic education in Iran is its non-democratic and non-participatory way of university teaching. One strategy for solving this problem is disseminating and promoting ...
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This article examines and introduces "discussion" as a way of teaching in university. It argues that one of the causes of inefficiency of academic education in Iran is its non-democratic and non-participatory way of university teaching. One strategy for solving this problem is disseminating and promoting "discursion" as a way of teaching in the universities. This strategy could not only promote and develop the quality of university teaching, but it can also considerably help democratize the society and university system. The first part of the article examines the impact of non-democratic ways of teaching in Iranian universities on the educational processes. The second part of the article introduces "discussion" as a way of teaching and its unmerous social and educational advantages. In the third part, in order to define "discussion", it has been differentiated from other ways of conversations. Then, the social and cultural conditions of "discussion" are analyzed. In the next part various forms of group discussion areintroduced. In the final parts, an attempt has been made to critically examine the applicability of "discussion" as a way of university teaching in Iran. Also, several cultural and educational suggestions have been made to disseminate "discussion" in Iranian universities. The article ends with a brief conclusion highlighting the main points of the article. Methodologically, this study is partly based on my own personal ethnographic experience of studying in Iran and Britain. Also, I have presented and approach of a way of university teaching based on logical and theoretical argument extracted from many educational experiences and studies. The suggestions for disseminating "discussion" in Iranian universities are based on my anthropological analysis and life long experience of Iranian universities.
nematollah fazeli
Volume 4, Issue 7.8 , November 1999, , Pages 107-133
Abstract
The sociology of art and literature is a subfield of sociology in which the social structure and function of art and literature as well as the relationships between society and art, is investigated. Since the subject is quite recent in Iran, this paper will briefly deal with its major objectives, history, ...
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The sociology of art and literature is a subfield of sociology in which the social structure and function of art and literature as well as the relationships between society and art, is investigated. Since the subject is quite recent in Iran, this paper will briefly deal with its major objectives, history, and theories. The first section of the paper is devoted to the definitions and relevant issues of sociology of art and literature. The second section deals with the history of the field since 18th century. In the third section the main sociological approaches of the field arc reviewed, which include knowledge causality, sociol causality, interactive causality, and syrnholic-cornmunic.u ivc approach. Finally, the last part is devoted to a comprehensive hihliography of the Persian literature in sociology of art and literature.
nematollah ghazi
Volume 5, Issue 9 , November 1997, , Pages 117-142
Abstract
In this article, the non.academic antnropotogy , those anthropological texts found in the historical, geographical, ethical, religious and literary books of Iranian Islamic writers in the recent century _ are analyzed. Also, the folkloric researches relating to the Iranian Follclor are introbuced. Meanwhile, ...
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In this article, the non.academic antnropotogy , those anthropological texts found in the historical, geographical, ethical, religious and literary books of Iranian Islamic writers in the recent century _ are analyzed. Also, the folkloric researches relating to the Iranian Follclor are introbuced. Meanwhile, the writer tries to identify and clarify the rote of Sadeq Hedayat as the besLlcnown researcher who is believed to be the most efficient figure in Iranian Folklore context.
