Iranian Politics and Law Quarterly

Iranian Politics and Law Quarterly

Religion and Nationalism in Iran: From Confrontation to Interaction

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Department of West Asian and African Studies at the University of Tehran
Abstract
Religion, nationality, and nationalism are enduring themes in human societies, with Iran, boasting one of the most ancient civilizations, serving as a prime example of their convergence during the 19th century. Presently, the intricate interplay among these factors in Iran has led to a nuanced phenomenon. This article aims to understand contemporary Iranian nationalism and its relationship with religion, focusing on current dynamics while exploring historical trajectories. It seeks to elucidate the components and dynamics of the religion-nationalism relationship in Iran. The article begins by presenting theoretical discourse on religion and nationalism, defining their concepts and components. It then analyzes the contemporary association between religion and nationalism in Iran, ranging from extensive interaction to notable conflict. This analysis covers three mainstream and nine substream categories, including the clash between Islam and nationalism, the synergy between Islam and nationalism, and the antagonism between nationalism and Islam. Additionally, it investigates the progression of this relationship over a century, identifying five distinct periods and six semi-models. In conclusion, the article asserts that while Iranian nationalism has been influenced by global trends, it exhibits distinctive disparities from Western and Arab paradigms
Keywords
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