نشریه جستارهای سیاسی معاصر
سال سوم شماره 1 (پیاپی 5، بهار و تابستان 1391)

Introduction of a positive discourse in the field of security studies led to correction and elevation of security views so that security evaluation changed from the mere «knowledge of threats» to some comprehensive activity which includes the recognition of «opportunities and threats» and is much more suitable and influential for designing security approaches. Having questioned about «security evaluation of the West»، in the present writing، the author has posed questions about opportunities-threats resulted from the West''s functions for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Using the positive discourse of security، the author has proceeded to recognize main security lines in the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the West. In this regard، he has introduced five main components which are as follows: opportunities-threats of the West in the fields of «security and identity»، «security and efficiency»، «security and bureaucracy»، «security and morality»، and finally «security and humanity». The analysis made by the author suggests that، in spite of attempts made by the West to create threats against Iran and because of the firm foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran، we find similar actual and potential opportunities for Iran along the above lines. On the other hand، while main attempts made by the West are to create soft threats against Iran، the relative advantage of Iran lies in the field of soft encounter. Thus، potential of managing such threats and creating security for the Islamic Republic of Iran is assessed to be very high.

In a primeval society، man lives a primeval life and in a civil society he lives a human life. As the most distinctive aspects of man''s social life، morality and politics are، according to Nahj al-Balaghah، done by one who، in addition to his «natural» and human self، enjoys a perfecional life and a transcending insight and، at the same time، emphasizes functional reason: «For you، it is sufficient that your reason separates the ways of misguidance from salvation» (Sayyid Radi، 1389، Wisdom 421، p. 1131). What that makes the notion of politics in Imam ''Ali school a lofty one and secures its relation to moral values is a common origin called «Divine right» which brings in harmony subjects such as government، mutual relation of the ruler and the ruled، legal issues and obligations stemmed from them and pictures politics as a Divine aspect specifying duties of knowing and faithful man. Based on the sermon 216 of Nahj al-Balaghah، the present article seeks to explain some primary assumptions and the meaning of Divine right in brief and discuss the relations between morality، values، religion، and politics as much as possible. Thus، facing the main question (which relation is between morality and the political in Nahj al-Balaghah?)، the following hypothesis may be studied: «Origination of governmental issues from» Divine right «creates at the same time a true guarantee for combining moral values and the political، and pictures human rights and obligations in a clear and desired way».

For a theory to be formed، correspondence to external instance (s) is required. Since Na''ini is a powerful and successful thinker producing ideas and thoughts، and his innovations to produce new ideas are somehow unique، the present article tries to infer the framework within، and the methodology according to which، he works. The present article claims that Na''ini has employed a methodology which may be taken as a basis for a methodological theory which، in turn، facilitates thinking; in other words، attaining a methodology and theory for suitable thinking based on Na''ini work is the basis of the present writing. This framework (theory) is called principalism. Principalism is a theory which covers all Na''ini''s ideas; in other words، if ideas of Na''ini and the methodology according to which his ideas have been formulated and produced are referred to، this framework may be inferred.

Ashura uprising is one of the most influential and everlasting events from which many fundamental developments have originated. Not only its dimensions and consequences have not been neglected in the course of time، but rather of which there have been left many permanent effects، and it has assumed more extensive dimensions and turned into a model of self-sacrifice in struggles made to attain people''s rights and Divine goals. One of the eminent examples is the Lebanon Hezbollah movement which، following lessons of the Husayn uprising، proved efficiency of the model of Husayn resistance after 14 centuries in the best way possible، and inspired many struggling groups in various societies. In the present article، while studying the most important consequences of Husayn movement، the author tries to comparatively reread its messages in Hezbollah movement so that efficiency of Husayn model to attain rights may be emphasized as compared to the contemporary models.

Made in a meta-analytical way، the present article analyzes and evaluated grounds، fields، trends، and subjects of the interdisciplinary field of political communications in Iran based on the relevant articles published by authentic scientific journals (in the period between 1380/2001 and 1389/2010). The statistical society of the study consists of the articles published by scientific (scientific-research or scientific-promotional) journals in the field of communications and social sciences in Tehran University (Social Sciences Quarterly and Media International Bi-Quarterly)، Allameh Tabatabai University (Social Sciences Quarterly)، Research Center of Radio-TV (Communication Research Quarterly)، and Center for Studying and Developing Media (Media Quarterly) in the above period. The sample taken for the present study covers all articles published in various fields of political communications selected through a full-enumerating method from among their articles. Articles selected have been separately coded and analyzed. To make a meta-analysis of the existing Persian scientific articles in the field of political communications in Iran، a special form called «the all-covering form for summarization and extraction of data from articles selected for meta-analysis» was elaborated. Questions and issues to which attention has been paid in this form are as follows: «the main content»، «conceptual framework» and «methodology of research». The results of the study show that the researchers in the field of communications do not pay so attention to the new-emerged and interdisciplinary field of the political communications. Also، in terms of the contents discussed in the studies made in this field in Iran، elections and political participation are of the greatest frequency.

Today، the idea of necessary conflict between the theory of international relations and religious norms has faced serious challenges. Furthermore، to make uses of capacities of religions to compensate shortages of the mainstream of the theory of international relations، serious attempts have been made. The present article is an instance of works which are being done in this field. The main question of the article is: «may a religious theory of international relations be introduced?» The hypothesis of the article is: religion may work as an important basis on which normativist theories in the field of international relations may be formulated. In the present article، the idea of separation between religion and theoretical principles of international relations has been criticized. Also، it has been argued that the idea of unavoidable separation between religion and theoretical field of international relations has its roots in the narrow and reductionist view to the nature and function of the theory. Thus، the nature and function of the theory of international relations should be so revised that capacities of religion may be employed to introduce a religious theory of international relations. In the present article، Islam is mentioned as a religion which، because of its high capacity of norm-making in various fields of social life، provides a suitable ground to process normative theories in the field of international relations and foreign policy.

Today، the idea of necessary conflict between the theory of international relations and religious norms has faced serious challenges. Furthermore، to make uses of capacities of religions to compensate shortages of the mainstream of the theory of international relations، serious attempts have been made. The present article is an instance of works which are being done in this field. The main question of the article is: «may a religious theory of international relations be introduced?» The hypothesis of the article is: religion may work as an important basis on which normativist theories in the field of international relations may be formulated. In the present article، the idea of separation between religion and theoretical principles of international relations has been criticized. Also، it has been argued that the idea of unavoidable separation between religion and theoretical field of international relations has its roots in the narrow and reductionist view to the nature and function of the theory. Thus، the nature and function of the theory of international relations should be so revised that capacities of religion may be employed to introduce a religious theory of international relations. In the present article، Islam is mentioned as a religion which، because of its high capacity of norm-making in various fields of social life، provides a suitable ground to process normative theories in the field of international relations and foreign policy.