A critical reflection on the idea of political and social collapse in current Iran

The subject of this article is a critical examination of the idea of collapse. In general, the application of the concept of political and social collapse is not out of three states: first, the inability of the state to maintain order and security and the disintegration of the hierarchical structure due to the lack of central authority; Second, ethnic and sectarian conflicts in a fragmented society and the threat to territorial integrity; And third, the occurrence of functional disorders in Different institutions. The main question is which emergence of the idea of political and social collapse in Iran refers to which layer of collapse and what is its relationship with the current situation? This article is in the category of qualitative research with an explanatory approach that evaluates the idea of collapse by examining the theoretical literature and research background, by documentary and survey methods, and then by descriptive and analytical methods. This article argues that the idea of collapse in Iran, as a constructed narrative, is irrelevant to failed state or ethnic disintegration and focuses more on functional dysfunction. At the same time, the logic of functional dysfunction is understood under the "structuring opportunity" rather than the radical state of "collapse." This approach distances itself from extremism and paves the way for reform and improvement.