Discursive Reconstruction of Political Thought in Ancient Iran: Emergence, Evolution, and Continuity

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Assistant Professor of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

3 Associate Professor of International Relations, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract
The aim of this research is to recreate the political discourse of Iran through the articulation of its fundamental elements. The main research question is: "On what basis can the dominant discourse of political thought in ancient Iran be formulated?" The possible response to this question is formulated as follows: "The re-creation of the discourse of ancient Iranian political thought centered around the concept of the ideal king becomes feasible in such a way that this concept serves as the connecting point and interrelation of the discursive components referred to as the Iranian discourse." The findings of the research indicate that: "The self-awareness of Iranshahr has not only shaped the political structure and order but has also led to the formation of a unique political discourse and thought in ancient Iran. This discourse has contributed to the geographical, cultural, and political continuity of Iran throughout history, while the spirit of Iranshahr has continued to thrive in a new form during the transition from ancient times to later periods. In other words, the discourse of Iran has had a constant dimension that has been preserved throughout history and a variable dimension that reflects the coexistence of the Iranshahr discourse with competing discourses. The methodology and theoretical framework governing the research freely utilize discourse analysis.

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Subjects


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Volume 20, Issue 2
No. 78
Spring 2025
Pages 177-215

  • Receive Date 03 February 2025
  • Revise Date 14 April 2025
  • Accept Date 10 June 2025