Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3 PhD student in Sociology, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Shahid Chamran Ahvaz University, Ahvaz, Iran.
Abstract
The spread of Corona, with emphasis on social distancing, caused social interactions within ethnic contexts to undergo changes in terms of quantity and quality. Based on this, the current research is focused on the phenomenology of the lived experience of Borujerd city Lak-speakers of social interactions after facing the Corona outbreak. The current phenomenological research has used the Moustakas technique to analyze the data. The number of 16 samples was selected purposefully and until theoretical saturation, and the data was collected by in-depth interview method. Collaborative observation (10 field observations) was also used to collect more data. Based on the results of coding and field data analysis, the concept of "post-corona ethnic interaction" includes 8 main clusters, which are: 1) the opportunity to find human agency, 2) the socialization of interaction, 3) the continuity of ethnic members, 4 ) the digitalization of interaction, 5) the scientific-rationalization of the epistemic base of interaction, 6) the purposeful interaction, 7) the hyper-digitalization of interaction, and 8) the appearance of the role of inhuman agency. In general, the threat of Corona has acted as a shock that has provided the opportunity to express individuality for the members of the ethnic community of Lak tribe.
Keywords: Corona, Post-Corona, Social Interactions, Lak Tribe, Phenomenology.
Introduction
The Corona epidemic, with emphasis on social distancing, suspended the current routine of social interactions in the first step. Although this danger has been curbed to some extent, it seems that changes have occurred in social interactions within ethnic contexts. The Lak tribe living in Borujerd city, although before the corona epidemic, it had experienced some changes due to the cultural encounter with modernity, but still the face-to-face ethnic interactions were very important for its members, which seems to be during the confrontation with the corona virus, the quantity and quality of these interactions have undergone changes. Based on this, the current research is focused on the phenomenology of the lived experience of the Lak tribe of ethnic interactions after facing the outbreak of Corona.
Research Question
What is the lived experience of Borujerd city Lak-speakers of the transformation of their ethnic interactions after facing the danger of Corona?
Literature Review
Imani Jajarmi (2019) showed with a quick assessment that social distancing has challenged social solidarity. The results of Motamed Jahormi and Kaveh's research (2021) also showed that the reduction of direct interactions during the outbreak of Corona has had destructive effects on people's social capital. Some other researchers such as Mirzaei (2019), Kazemi (2019) and Sharaf-uddin (2021) have warned in quick assessments of the situation of the problem by sounding the alarm that the continuation of forced social isolation caused by facing the danger Corona will cause irreparable damage to social solidarity, but others such as Žižek (2021) and Davis (2019) believe that a kind of "solidarity in separation" due to the conditions caused by facing danger, which is definitely a new form of social interactions.
Methodology
In the current research, the phenomenological method with the Moustakas technique was used. The community studied in the present research included the Borujerd city Lak-speakers. The sampling method was purposeful, which means that the researcher deliberately went to those who had the lived experience of the phenomenon under study. The process of sampling and data collection continued until theoretical saturation; That is, until no new data was obtained, and finally 16 samples were studied. The method of data collection was in-depth interview and 10 participatory observation. The resulting data have been analyzed using the Moustakas technique, in such a way that first meaningful units have been extracted from the expressions and descriptions of the participants. In the second stage, the descriptive narratives of the horizons are coded with special terms under the title of themes. Then, in the third stage, the themes or horizons arising from the interview data are presented in clustering classes, and in the fourth stage, coherent descriptions of these clusters are presented.
Results
Based on the results of coding and analysis, the concept of "post-corona social interaction" includes the following clusters: 1) based on digital literacy, 2) based on solidarity in separation, 3) based on planning, 4) based on human agency. 5) based on the ego of the relationship, 6) based on the knowledge of scientific-rational dialogue, 7) based on inhuman agency.
Conclusion
In general, facing the danger of Corona has caused the emergence of a new attitude towards the ethnic interactions between the members of the Lak tribe, and the nature of these interactions has been pushed more and more from the ethnicist state to the socialistic state, and with the approximate removal of racist elements. And based on its descent, the members of the tribe have witnessed more tolerance in their interactions. This tolerance is caused by the tendency to preserve individual values in parallel with collective values. Facing the danger of Corona has provided an opportunity to express individuality, an individuality that before facing Corona had no way but to disappear within ethnic relations. In addition to a research proposal to test the findings of the current research in future research, to recognize the inhumane factors in sociological analysis, and also to conduct ethnographic research in relation to the cultural consequences of exposure to danger. Corona in ethnic contexts (considering that the present research was a sociological research), the following practical suggestions are also presented: 1) Creating and strengthening media interaction platforms and providing easy and cheap access to these platforms for Residents of areas with ethnic background, instead of filtering social networks and popular and user-friendly messengers, 2) Digital literacy and media literacy training for different age groups, especially the elderly, in order to be resilient. Empowering and empowering members of ethnic communities against risks that may threaten and disrupt social relations in the future, such as the risk of the spread of the corona virus, and 3) providing a platform for people to access scientific knowledge and up-to-date knowledge in the field the pattern of preventive social relations and interactions (protecting one's own health and that of others) in order to eliminate social fear caused by facing danger and rebuilding social ties and generally reintegrating society members based on new scientific knowledge.
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