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.
