Iranian Journal of Sociology

Abstract This article explores the social network Instagram as a part of neoliberal power technologies. Accordingly, five different readings of Instagram as a part of the neoliberal organization have been presented. The method of this article is documentary and the study of scientific texts related to the research topic. The findings of this article are based on the views of theorists such as Nick Sernichek, Janis Varoufakis, Byung chul Han, Zygmunt Baumann, Jean Baudrillard,  and etc. The story of five readings: "Instagram as a space for the accumulation of virtual capital", "Instagram as a virtual tool", "Instagram: the crisis of freedom and transparency", "Instagram: celebrity and self-branding", and "Instagram is a manifestation of the postmodern state and the fluidity of life". Also, the results of this article show that Instagram, as an ideological space, seeks to promote neoliberal values and has a structural position in the cultural and economic arena in neoliberal organizations.
 

Abstract This paper seeks to analyze new forms of alienation in the postmodern era. To this end, following an explanation of “postmodern era” and theories generated in this era, concepts of "alienation" and "postmodern alienation" will be explored. Finally, an explanation is offered of the genesis of “postmodern alienation”. This paper argues that in postmodern era the concept of “difference” became the most central theme in both social theories and new social movements. By questioning modern meta-narratives, postmodernism sought to recognize the particular, the marginal and the cultural. In this era, theorizing about the concept of “difference” was simultaneous with blacks, women, postcolonial and other social movements. Focus on “difference,” however, resulted in the emergence of forms of knowledge and consciousness incapable of acknowledging similarities with others. Consequently, “postmodern alienation” prevents both social theories and social movements from understanding the logic of neoliberal capitalism and its ties with cultural postmodernism.

Abstract This research aims to analyze Iranshahri discourse as a modern identity discourse of Iranians in terms of contemporary economy and politics. Since the modern formation of this discourse has appeared in Javad Tabatabaei’s works, the articulation of this discourse and the reason for its hegemony are examined according to his writings. Then, we examined the formation of the concept of emptiness in Iranshahri discourse using Laclau's methodology. The theoretical concept of this research suggested that Iranshahri discourse aims to interpret the emptiness created by neoliberalism through his particular political philosophy. Thus, we recognized the following parameters in Tabatabaei's political philosophy: the emptiness of otherness, eliminating people and building nations, alienated people, and imposing consensus in his political philosophy analysis. The above concepts showed that Iranshahri discourse and his political philosophy attempt to construct Iranian identity and justify the status quo by drawing the masses’ attention to something other than neoliberalism crises.