Discourse Analysis of Changing Meanings of Development after the Islamic Revolution in Iran

This paper tries to trace the meaning of development in Iran after the 1979 Revolution. In this paper Lakla and Mouffe discourse theory and discourse analysis are used to account for the arguments. This study analyzes the current conflict over the development and consolidation. It is to show that discourses of development after the Revolution shows that any discussion of joint development based on a series of floating signifiers articulated to the central signifier. The finding reveals that the central signifier of constructing government was economic growth, while the reformist focused on political development and justice state was highlighting the concept of equity and justice. As a result, the development discourses of the Islamic Revolution tried a different space than the existing situation and promote a sense of meaning distinct from the other form by other competitors. The meaning of the revolution was never fixed and the usual way for the struggle over the meaning of will open.