Language Policies and Minority Languages: Analysis of the Status of Minority Languages in the Cultural-Linguistic Order of Modern Iran: Since 1906 to the Present

In the linguistic-cultural order of modern Iran, language has a significant role. Persian language as one of the unifying signifier of Iranians acquired a prominent place due to language policies which determine the position of minority languages, and this situation has provided opportunities for minority languages. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mentioned linguistic-cultural order based on Laclau and Mouffe's discourse analysis theory and also to determine the position of minority languages in this discursive formation. Therefore, this discourse order was analyzed based on the governmental documents, laws and statutes since the establishment of National Consultative Assembly (1906). The results show that in all three periods (Constitutional, Pahlavi and Islamic Republic of Iran) Persian language has been represented as one of the main signifiers of the cultural policy discourse and in addition, minority languages have been represented as challenges to the construction of national identity. In the laws and state documents, the minority languages have been subjected to “silence based on denial” in the constitutional state, “silence based on exclusion” in the Pahlavi state and “inclusive exclusion” after the Islamic Revolution.