Sociological analysis of the discourse of Imam Khomeini and Dr. Ali Shariati with the approach of discourse analysis

Dr. Shariati is known as the ideologue of the Islamic Revolution and Imam Khomeini as the architect of the revolution and the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Comparing the l discourse of these two thinkers in order to discover the commonalities and differentiate them is of great theoretical and practical importance for the intellectual and political situation of the current Iranian society. Given the importance of the discourse of these two contemporary thinkers, this article has been written with the aim of answering the question "What are the similarities and differences between the discourse of Imam Khomeini and Dr. Ali Shariati based on the discourse analysis approach?". The conceptual framework of this paper is based on Laclau and Mouffe's theory of meaning and its method is discourse analysis approach.Accordingly, the discourses of Imam Khomeini and Dr. Ali Shariati in categories and dimensions of giving meaning to the world, focal signifier, superior signifier (identity), empty signifier, discourse minutes, political myth, subjects, positive and negative subjects according to logic Currency, distinction, and subject positions are compared. The findings of this study show that the political myth of Imam Khomeini's discourse is the denial of the status quo, the denial of the monarchy, the denial of the separation of religion from politics and government, and the denial of the apolitical nature of seminaries and clerics and the necessity of forming an Islamic government. The myth of Dr. Ali Shariati's discourse is the rejection of existing political myths (material and religious) and the introduction of Islamic democracy (guided) as a myth and a desirable political government for Iranian society.