Iranian Journal of Sociology

Abstract This study investigates the construction of a memory of the Movement of Gilan among the participant's descendants in the movement. The underlying theories are presentism, social cadres of memory, and findings of Schuman, Schwartz, Arcy, Larson, and Lizardo. The research population is the descendants whose ancestors participated in the Jungle Movement. A sample of 26 people was selected and interviewed. Then the interviews were analyzed by thematic content analysis. Findings indicated the ethnicization of memory and otherization in narrating the event among Gilak ethnicity. Gilaks had united and ethnic narration but on the contrary,Talyshis had pluralistic and non-ethnic narration. The narration of the Jungle Movement was different according to the education levels of the correspondents. It means that people with higher education at a “national-international”  level had a comprehensive and historical approach and people with a basic education at the “ethnic-indigenous” level had a religious approach in narrating the event. The former emphasized intellectual and modernist essence and the latter emphasized the religious essence of the event. They remembered the event in the framework of resistant collective memory and formal collective memory policy respectively.

Abstract This study examines the Kurds’ collective memory in Boukan. The concept of collective memory is a new realm of sociological investigation, especially among studies of Iran’s social groups. The most important historical points in collective memory of Kurds and the way they regarded them as important, is the main problem of this study. We asked three most important events of Iran s’ history from 9 decades ago. Theoretical framework of study is Maurice Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory. The respondents’ attitudes toward their identities in four aspects are independents variables. Using survey method and upon cluster sampling, the questionnaire has been responded by 342 people. According to the respondents; The Islamic Revolution of 1979, the Mahabad State of 1945, the Oil Nationalization, the Imposed War and Iran’s presidential election of 2009, are the prominent events. Kruskal Wallis test shows significant difference relationships between age and attitude toward religious identity with first important events; the age and education with second important events; the education and attitude toward national identity for the third important events. The main reasons mentioned by respondents to justify importance of Islamic Revolution is religious one, building a state for Mahabad State of 1945, the trauma and damage for war, preserving national benefits for Oil Nationalization Movement and protest for the Iran’s presidential election.

Abstract The end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21th century witnessed the expansion of ethnic conflicts around the world. The end of the cold war, the revival of debate about genocide, the rise of movements for maintenance of past heritage and the expansion of communications in different areas, have increasingly caused ethnic groups to get interested in their past memories. Such a situation has also intensified the importance of `the place' in remembering memories of the past. The question that will be reviewed in this article is: what is the role of collective memory in outbreak of ethnic conflicts? Our assumption is that the ethnic struggles always can be traced to the some time back. The people, who are establishing an ethnic community, have common memories that affect their ethnic identity. Thus, our hypothesis is that collective memory has a basic role in ethnic conflicts. If we are expected to control ethnic struggles, the role of collective past in present situation should be understood. In this article we first review the concept of collective memory, and then we will examine the link between collective memory and ethnic struggles. At the end, we will make an attempt to explain how and by through what processes the collective memory affects ethnic conflicts and how ethnic struggles increase or decrease.

Abstract This study examines the Kurds’ collective memory in Boukan. The concept of collective memory is a new realm of sociological investigation, especially among studies of Iran’s social groups. The most important historical points in collective memory of Kurds and the way they regarded them as important, is the main problem of this study.  We asked three most important events of Iran s’ history from 9 decades ago. Theoretical framework of study is Maurice Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory. The respondents’ attitudes toward their identities in four aspects are independents variables. Using survey method and upon cluster sampling, the questionnaire has been responded by 342 people. According to the respondents; The Islamic Revolution of 1979, the Mahabad State of 1945, the Oil Nationalization, the Imposed War and Iran’s presidential election of 2009, are the prominent events. Kruskal Wallis test shows significant difference relationships between age and attitude toward religious identity with first important events; the age and education with second important events; the education and attitude toward national identity for the third important events. The main reasons mentioned by respondents to justify importance of Islamic Revolution is religious one, building a state for Mahabad State of 1945, the trauma and damage for war, preserving national benefits for Oil Nationalization Movement and protest for the Iran’s presidential election.