New Spirituality as Discourse

This paper investigates an aspect of new sectarianism with special emphasis on New Spirituality in Iran. It uses the theory of subjectivism proposed by Canadian thinker, Charles Taylor, alongside Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis to analyze signs of new spiritualism. Data was collected through examining available resources and through deep interviews with advocates of this discourse. Examining available resources revealed that the semantic system of spirituality is as a discourse based on a number of themes and signs, including: centrality of the self, i.e. a journey from a life in line with external demands to an authentic, original life in the inside, individualism, holistic attitude, hybridity, and using psychology and individuality. Empirical studies have proven that the formation of new spiritualism as a discourse was an indication of internal conflicts and ambiguities in making sense of religious discourse. This issue was a challenge for the development of religious discourse and a threat to its face as the dominant discourse, which finally opened up the gates for discourse of spirituality. Studies indicate that this discourse is still in the phase of formation in Iran. In other words, it is not yet stable and its meanings are not yet clear, and, therefore, is far from turning into a hegemonic discourse.