Representation of Iranians’ National Identity in National Anthems

Hatefi, Mohammad

doi:10.22034/chs.2025.502525.1066

Representation of Iranians’ National Identity in National Anthems

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Mohammad Hatefi

Assistant professor, Department of Islamic Civilization, Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/chs.2025.502525.1066

Abstract

National anthems are concise and coherent texts that encapsulate a nation's identity perception during a specific period in the modern era. The various national anthems of Iran also represent one or more identity perceptions. This research, employing a descriptive-analytical approach and discourse analysis methodology, addresses the following question: How has the national identity of Iranians in the modern era been represented in the texts of Iran's national anthems from the Qajar period to the present? The findings indicate that Iranian national anthems from the Qajar era to the present encompass four types of identity or identity discourses: threshold identity (Qajar period), monarchical identity (Pahlavi era), value-based identity (post-revolution), and existential (patriotic) identity. Each identity discourse also consists of four "structural" elements: the form of government (political system), ideology, homeland, and people. However, each identity discourse has only one intrinsic element: the intrinsic element in monarchical identity is the "king," in patriotic identity it is the "homeland," and in revolutionary value-based identity, it is "justice or truth." The nature of place (Iran as a location) differs in each of these discourses: in the monarchical discourse, place is a site for governance; in the patriotic discourse, it is a space for living; and in the revolutionary discourse, it serves as a value-based platform for disseminating a message.

Keywords

Iran

identity

national identity

modern era

national anthem

discourse

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