نشریه مطالعات ملی
سال دهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 38، تابستان 1388)

Pointing out the characteristics of the Iranian culture throughout history such as Iranianism, Religion, imperial system, cultural diversity, cultural tolerance, and cultural continuation, the writer believes that culture, despite changes that are innate to social phenomena, possesses a series of constant elements that are often refereed to as the “Spirit of Nations.” This paper intends to answer the essential question that how and through what mechanism has the Iranian culture, despite the presence of fertile grounds for disintegration, been able to preserve its solidity throughout time; what challenges has the Iranian identity been facing in the recent century, and what challenges and issues have the past social and political movements been trying to meet and resolve. In answer to these questions, by studying historical documents we can point out to this hypothesis that because of its geographical position and diversity, Iran has always had to deal with cultural diversity throughout history and thus grounds have always been prepared for the breakdown of the country’s social structure. On the other hand, spiritual individuality, with its two prominent qualities of belief in a monotheistic origin and a bright future, demands historical solidity. Hence, to overcome the challenge of “social solidity” and “breakdown”, the Iranians turned to the idea of “hakim-e hakam” that manifested itself in the imperial system of the country. By turning to this system, despite facing such major problems as the Hellenic Crisis, the Turkic Crisis, and the Arabic Crisis, the Iranian culture has managed to preserve its entirety and absorb and digest alien elements without loosing its Iranian nature. The most important crisis for the Iranian culture in the recent century has been dealing with the Western Modernity. Because of its inclination towards autocracy and lack of compatibility with environmental changes, the imperial system lost its ability in answering the historical demands of the Iranian nation which required the protection of the Iranian Spirit in its totality and thus gave way to the rise of puritan movements. The Iranian movements including the Constitutional and Islamic Revolutions generally rose to prominence with slogans such as “independence seeking”, “religious predominance”, and “anti-dictatorial positions” in reaction to the internal despotism and Western cultural invasion. This can be interpreted as the absorption and digestion of Western Modernity by a culture that is trying to preserve its Iranian essence just like the past 3000 years. The “Velai” system rooted in the Islamic Revolution is in fact a response to the historical Iranian demand requiring a “hakim-e hakam” who could be able to safeguard cultural diversity while at the same time protect religious principles and national identity of the country.

In the long history of humanity, the question of identity of persons and nations are one of fundamental concerns of human beings. This concern has appeared strongly in modern period. In recent years, the identity crisis of students and youths has attracted attention of Iranian scientists seriously. Inspiring national identity on childhood, especially in elementary level, is one of crucial methods of reinforcing national identity. So, educational books and materials can play a significant role in reinforcing elements of national identity and encouraging national zealotry. According to the importance of text books in national identity of students, this survey using a content analysis methodology, examined the frequency of words, images, poems, fictions, and prose in Farsi text books of elementary levels and compared them to the elements of national identity. Findings revealed that the rate of attention to national identity elements is about 7% of text books` content. Based upon the findings of this research, some recommendations are provided to reinforce national beliefs via text books.

This article is the pathology and description of the status of education and research in Persian language and literature, which, along with expressing the status quo, specifies the desired status, priorities and strategies. The paper started with the presupposition that, in spite of the critical role of Persian language and literature major, its current status quo is not desirable and the academic vision, priorities, requirements, strategies and developmental policies have not been designed by the responsible institutions. The information presented in this report are based on Iranian Labor News Agency’s (ILNA) survey in which 80 poets, authors, and professors took part. The survey’s results about Persian language and literature’s status in universities along with all resources mentioned in the review of the related literature and references formed a basis for the paper’s analyses. The paper explores the subject in two parts, each from two educational and research points of view. Part One: an investigation and analysis of the Persian language and literature major’s status quo (strengths and weaknesses) in two fields of education and research along with specifying the requirements; Part Two: conclusion and strategic suggestions based on the results of Part One, including developmental policies for Persian language and literature major and its strategies in the field of education and research The main proposed strategies and policies for enhancing Persian language and literature major include: Promoting Persian language and literature major and expanding its territory within the country and abroad Quantitative and qualitative development of Persian language and literature major Creating job opportunities for graduates of the major Enabling professors and students Enforcing educational and research programs of Persian language and literature major .

These four agents lionze in Shahnemeh. Including: religion, language, history and mythology. Since the national identity arise from political and cultural origions, we can know religion and history from political origion and language and mythology from cultural origion of national identity. Ferdowsi's tendency is generally on cultural mood of national identity. How ever we can`t shadow chronic corres ponding among religion, history and mythology, but Ferdowsi`s effort in Shahnameh is clearer on cultural mood of national identity toward more impress in national solidarity and cultural renaissense in weird epoch and strangers mastery. Meanwhile, Ferdowsi`s significant effort is keeping the persian language that is the basis of cultural mood of national identity. It causes a serious prophecy for Persian language to protect Iranian culture against the strangers. His scramble is prevention of wandering the persain language and tendency to Arabic language. Ferdowsi animate Persian language and its function in two extent of literary creation and elegance knowing and moreover the extent of production the national common conceptions. Among these theories (Wandering, liken and language increase) the third theory is more noteworthy than others in Samani era. Ferdowsi creates a usual graft between national identity and cultural renaissense.

Happiness is inherently a major characteristic of Iranians national Identity, which over the time through different ages suffered lots of ups and downs; however, Iranians from pre-Islamic era till in the wake of Islam never ignored it and it was one of the uniting factors in the solidarity of their national identity, enhancing loyalty to their home country and a factor in flourishing of their thoughts and feelings to be at the service of national prosperity and ethical beliefs. Gradually, due to foreigner's domination, socio-political hegemony and appearance of negative thoughts and un-authentic morals, happiness faded and isolation, sorrow and dejection broke out. As a result, at the present time, not only Iranian Society, but also modern man, despite enjoying the comforts offered by modern industrial and technological advance, is both emotionally and mentally troubled, a condition arising from their anarchic and nihilistic beliefs as well as their being away from the nature and being void of spirituality. The more they seek pleasures, the more they distance themselves from happiness and calmness. This is basically because the roots of happiness is akin to responding to the real needs of one's true self and to having positive mindset and positive behavior, qualities being ignored as a result of self-alienation. The course of history is not moving from barbarianism to humanism, but from bows and arrows to atomic bombs. In the same vein, humans' pleasure-seeking conduct is changing from seeking property and possession to becoming 'hooked' to all sorts of narcotics. Therefore, teaching the fundamentals and factors leading to happiness is an unavoidable need of modern man. Such a change will not come to pass unless they take action to alter their epistemological actions and unless they start to believe in the necessity in changing their world, both inwardly and outwardly. To change requires a correct understanding of 'being', phenomena, and man's role in the world. In case of such an understanding, a change in man's morality and behavior emerges. And by their accepting the conditions of morality change and by their being obligated to enforce them, they will accomplish happiness. In this study, the above issue is further investigated in light of the ideas put forward by Iranian scholars with particular reference to Hafiz's lyrics.

Iran and India have long enjoyed extensive relations on different grounds including cultural, linguistic, religious, artistic and trade ones. Such relations date back to Aryans' migration when the two nations formed the Indo-Iranian branch and had the same language, culture and ethnic origin. Having resided in two different regions over time, the two nations adopted different sets of behavior. However, the common cultural, linguistic and ethnic foundations remained the same. Since then, common mythologies as well as writings have emerged. As the Achemenid, Ashkani and Sasanid dynasties were established, the linguistic and ethnic relations of the two nations received a high prominence. After Islam, these ties developed documented by historians especially after the seizure of India by Mahmood Ghaznavi (329 A.H.) during the Ghaznavian era. Consequently, Persian was regarded as one of the most important language in the Indian peninsula. The migration rate among Iranians to India increased during the 8th century (A.H.) and the scope of influence of Persian language and culture got to its climax from Teymorian Period. During the Safavid's dynasty, a great number of Iranian poets and intellectuals migrated to India so that the status of Persian language in India achieved more prominence than that of Safavid's capital, Isfahan. Persian language as well as Iranian and Islamic culture was the official language of the Indian kings and courts. As the British colonizers expanded their influence in India, Persian language was gradually replaced by English. As a result, such a valuable and common heritage lost its power in less than a century. The present article is a library research based on documentation. The writer reviews the historical trends of Persian language and its cultural influence in Indian peninsula, indicating its rise and fall. Furthermore, the common linguistic, mythological and ceremonial features are scrutinized followed by several historical documents presentedto prove the claims made.

The republics of north and south Ossetia have Iranian language and also common cultural specifications with Iran, because of that Ossetia has always been noticable for Caucasologists. Unfortunately after separation of this region from Iran in Iran-Russia’s war and confederation of Soviet Union in 20th century, Ossetians forgot their past identification and Iranian never heard of them except a name. In this article I try to give some logical and evidential reasons about common rootes of Ossetians with Iranian and also the union between Ossetians and Scythian, Sarmats and Alanian who continued Iranian culture and civilization in north of the Caspian sea and Caucasus’s mountain, based on location surveys. Knowledge in this case and research about the history and the culture of this Iranian sect will help us to find out Iranian culture in Caucasus and in the Iranian spread land. The relation of this ethnic group with Iranian people continued till 100 years ago but when those two regions lost their borders this relation ended. Recent events in Ossetia are good opportunities for us and for foreign policies of Islamic republic of Iran about Caucasus to improve mutual knowledge between two regions. In this case I travelled to north Ossetia for six month last winter and I did some researches and location surveys about history and culture of Ossetians and their point of view about Iran.