Anthropology
Mohammadsaeed Zokaei
Abstract
Structural, value, historical and global transformations in the last 50 years in Iran have provided youths with new meanings and experiences and have posed them as an important player for understanding socio economic and political dynamics of Iranian society. Relying on large scale representative ...
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Structural, value, historical and global transformations in the last 50 years in Iran have provided youths with new meanings and experiences and have posed them as an important player for understanding socio economic and political dynamics of Iranian society. Relying on large scale representative surveys conducted in the last decades and also drawing on some historical documents, the present paper aims to present an analysis of changes in contemporary values and lifestyles of Iranian youth and to draw the trends it has gone through. Policies, strategies and important currents like adopting western styles of development, social differentiation, discursive and ideological conflicts, imposed war, globalization, expansion of new information and communication technologies are amongst major backgrounds transforming the status of youth in Iran. While suggesting the impacts of global youth culture, the above changes are also entangled with and influenced by historical and local conditions. In sum, an assessment of historical value transformations simultaneously manifests elements of change and continuity. IntroductionHistorical, structural and global transformations in the last 50 years in Iran have provided youths with new meanings and experiences and have posed them as important players in understanding socio economic and political dynamics of Iranian society. The current paper aims to draw a concise picture of youth culture transformations in the last half century in Iran and to explain the major trends according to a comparative analysis some national survey data on selective dimensions of values and lifestyles (reference points, national and religious identifications, leisure styles and participation values).Conceptual frameworkThe conceptual framework draws on major trends and transformations that have been occurring during 1340 and 1350 {1960-1970}. This period is a time when modern and powerful youth emerges in Iran. The relative establishment of political governance, expansion of commercial ties with the west, an increase in oil revenues, increasing migrations from rural to urban areas, formation of new institutions offering cultural and welfare services to the youth, the expansion of popular culture infrastructures (shopping centers, sport centers, cinemas, parks and recreational centers, public libraries and so on), are amongst the major developments that together boosted youths positions and enabled them to get more involved in the socio-cultural currents of the society.MethodsA systematic review of the both research literature dealing with youths’ values and lifestyles and youth periodicals in 1340 and 1350 along with an analysis of some national surveys conducted in the last four decades have been undertaken. The surveys both relate to those specifically designed for measuring youth attitudes and values (mostly by Iranian National Youth Organization/ Sport Ministry) and those designed for all adult age groups. In the case of the latter, care has been taken to take a sub samples as close to the youth samples as possible (those aged 15 to 29).FindingsThe findings rely on the trends of changes in the values and lifestyles of youth on themes and items like family and generational relationships, national-religious values, leisure values and participative values. On generational values, surveys suggest that generational contracts amongst age groups continues to be strong. These is no indication of severe tensions among generations and the relationships amongst youth and their parents instead tends toward mutual understanding and cooperation. The picture, however, is totally different when it comes to the judgements generations make of formal institutions and political officials.On religious and national values, the comparison of data suggests that national and religious identity categories are rather exclusively defined by youth. In general, despite the relevance of religious values, the ritual dimensions of religion are less important for youth. Similarly, a growth in nationalistic and cosmopolitan values can vividly be observed from the recent surveys. On leisure styles and values, trends suggest a rapid expansion in (new) media consumption from the 1380 onwards. In fact, digital leisure as the major time use of Iranian youth allow them to complement and compensate for some shortages or constraints they face in real life (particularly for some under privileged groups). On the other hand, social networks have rapidly changed Iranian youths’ leisure tastes, needs and emotional experiences. In spite of some opportunities obtained, excessive reliance on the network tends to deter youth from seeking entertainments requiring more skills and creativity.And finally on participative values, the trends amongst Iranian youth are much similar to the global trends. A decline in political trust, a sense of unpredictability towards future and a sense of exclusion negatively affect youths’ tendencies to engage into more participation.ConclusionStructural, value, historical and global transformations in the last 50 years have turned youth from a marginal and problematic category into a strategic, sensitive and crucial phenomenon in Iran. While suggesting the impacts of global youth cultures, the above changes are also entangled with and influenced by historical and local conditions. Diversities in choices, opportunities, interpretations and representations have provided youth with exceptional opportunities for crossing youth cultural boundaries and choosing personal styles. Fluidity and diversity in the choices and fields of action have potentially created diverse venues of practicing youth. However, cultural values in Iranian society continue to be dominated by structural forces and conditions.
Cultural Studies
Masoumeh Talebidalir; Fardin Alikhah; Sayyed Hashem Mousavi
Abstract
These days, unlike the past, the celebration of weddings in major cities has become less participatory, and various stages of it are mostly entrusted to commercial institutions from start to the end. These conditions indicate that in today's society, an industry called the wedding industry is ...
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These days, unlike the past, the celebration of weddings in major cities has become less participatory, and various stages of it are mostly entrusted to commercial institutions from start to the end. These conditions indicate that in today's society, an industry called the wedding industry is emerging, and weddings are increasingly becoming commercialized. The aim of this article is to understand the characteristics of this emerging industry in the city of Hamedan and study its various aspects. Regarding the wedding industry, there are various theories, research, and perspectives that generally emphasize the women’s agency, consumerism, and the commodification of the capitalist system. These perspectives are reviewed in the article. This article utilizes a qualitative research method, and its data is collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 16 individuals working in the wedding industry in the city of Hamedan. The fundamental concepts of the interviews are then extracted using thematic analysis technique, and the analyses are finally structured based on nine core themes. The results of this research indicate that the expansion of the wedding industry, with its prominent feature of "commercialization," encompasses "feminine subjectivity" and reinforces the culture of "individualism" and "commodification," leading to the weakening of local wedding ceremonies.
Keywords: Wedding Celebration, Commercialization, Consumerism, Commodification, Cultural Changes.
Introduction
The wedding industry is a complex combination of commercial and cultural activities, goods, and services, fundamentally reflecting the cultural attitude towards marriage ceremonies in a consumer society. Modern wedding celebrations, as a standardized and prevalent pattern, have been normalized in many societies and appear natural. Over time, this industry has diversified and evolved to the extent that it has now created a significant consumer market for wedding ceremonies. Wedding celebrations in the city of Hamedan have gradually come under the influence of this consumer market. The central objective of this article is to understand and analyze the elements of the wedding industry in this city. Accordingly, the research questions are:
1) What characteristics and features do workers in the wedding industry in Hamedan attribute to this industry?
2) What social and cultural mechanisms does the commercialization trend of wedding celebrations in Hamedan encompass, and which social trends is it potentially susceptible to?
Literature Review
Commercial wedding celebrations have been examined by various researchers from various perspectives, and this article focuses on their concepts and approaches. In summarizing the theoretical literature, the review of these studies reveals that in Western studies on wedding celebrations, concepts of "consumerism" and "individual choice" are frequently emphasized, and this consumer culture is primarily directed towards women in the first place. Additionally, non-Western researchers in their studies have delved into the discussion of imitation and harmony with global wedding patterns and focused on the cultural and social mechanisms of this industry in non-Western societies.
Methodology
This article employs a qualitative methodology, utilizing narrative interviews. Researchers conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 16 individuals in the wedding industry, focusing on their lived experiences to identify the characteristics and capabilities of the wedding industry in Hamedan. The choice of interviewing individuals in the wedding industry was driven by their deep connection to the industry and their profound understanding of the governing mechanisms in this field. The research field was Hamedan, and the sampling method was purposeful and chain-referral. Interviews continued until the data started to repeat. To ensure not to lose information and narratives and with the participants' consent, the interviews were recorded and transcribed after the interviews. Each interview lasted between 15 to 60 minutes. Furthermore, data analysis in this article follows the thematic analysis method, considering the individual as the unit of observation and analysis, with a focus on fine-grained levels of analysis.
Results & Discussion
In this article, the focus is on the study of Hamedan, one of the western cities of Iran. Similar to many geographical regions in Iran, this city has been influenced by the expanding wedding industry, leading to transformations in local wedding ceremonies. Hamedan is a relatively large city with a socio-cultural structure that combines both modern and traditional elements. Additionally, globalization and the culture of global capital consumption have spread in this city, transforming its market and business environment.
In this article, narratives from 16 individuals working in the wedding industry in Hamedan were explored to understand the characteristics of this industry. Participants identified 9 features based on their lived experiences in the business environment of Hamedan. These features include "Significant and Inevitable Celebration", "Transformation of Collective-Collaborative Rituals", "Commercial and Commodity Complex", "Feminine Consumerism", "Subjectivity, Selectivity, and Choice," "Specialization in Commercialized Weddings", "Risk Mitigation Management", "Aesthetic Recognition of Wedding Ceremonies and Representation of the Best Text", and "Globalization and Cultural Homogenization of Wedding Celebrations".
Conclusion
Commercializing wedding celebrations in Hamedan provides opportunities for creating unique social and cultural interactions and poses both opportunities and threats. The wedding industry in Hamedan allows couples, especially brides, to engage in subjectivity, shaping and managing their wedding celebrations according to their desires with the help of industry professionals. The wedding celebration emerges as a social construct, where Hamedani brides assert their agency and organize their identity as the "ideal bride." This industry empowers young Hamedani women, granting them more freedom of choice and agency.
Moreover, in the past decades, Hamedan's wedding celebrations were based on simplicity, fostering collaborative teamwork and strengthening collective spirit. However, today, the commercialization of these celebrations in Hamedan, in sync with the expansion of consumer culture, reflects more prominently the role of wedding service providers in the community, ultimately imposing exorbitant costs on couples and their families. Furthermore, the commercialization of wedding celebrations in the modern consumer culture of Hamedan has the potential to deepen social divides, increase social comparison, amplify relative deprivation, and ultimately intensify the sense of social inequality.
Acknowledgments
This article is derived from a doctoral thesis in cultural sociology at the University of Guilan. The authors express their gratitude to all individuals who participated in and supported this research.