Iranian Journal of Sociology

Abstract How do students play in student organizations? How do the games that students play in student organizations help them to transend the situation? In addition, how do students take advantage of this transcendence to achieve, differentiate, and produce a distinctive culture? These are the questions that have been answered in this article after a phenomenological conceptualization of the concept of play and conducting research using observation techniques and focus groups on students active in student organizations at the University of Tehran. The main purpose of this article is to interpret the mechanisms of differentiation and production of a specific student culture in student organizations. It seems that the most important strategy to differentiate student organizations is to play games that in this article are interpreted as Ludic games. The distinction is made by playing such games on two levels: one between students active in student organizations and other students, and the other between student organizations themselves. This article tries to explain how to differentiate between these two levels. In the first level, students differentiate themselves by creating play organizations with others, and in the second level, by creating playful competition and producing distinctive symbols.

Abstract This study is an attempt to investigate the whyness and howness of the emergence of the charismatic national leader during the Islamic Revolution and the non-emergence of a charismatic national leader in the Constitutional Revolution. To examine this issue, two main approaches to charisma were first proposed and it was then tried to identify the problems of the "leader-oriented" approach and the preference of the "follower-oriented" approach. With the selection of the follower-oriented approach, the explanatory theories of charismatic leadership in this approach were reviewed. In the follower-oriented approach, the attention was assigned to the ambiguity of the effective variables of "crisis" in the acceptance of the leader by the followers; then, the emphasis was placed upon the dimensions, intensity, and extent of this approach (as the variables determining crisis) with the theoretical extension of the concept of crisis. Then, the variable named ideology based on the culture of traditional society was emphasized using Weber’s theories. Moreover, since the concept of charisma has a wide range of meanings, national charisma was here selected as the main concept. For this reason, another independent variable, called "formation of national community" was included in the research model. To respond to the research question, the conditions and social structure existing before the Constitutional Revolution and the Islamic Revolution were examined through a comparative-historical study according to the theoretical model of the research to find out why no charismatic leader appeared in the Constitutional Revolution, but it did in the Islamic Revolution. Considering the theoretical points as well as the empirical results obtained from comparing the social conditions before the Constitutional Revolution with those before the Islamic Revolution, it should be mentioned that a widespread social crisis may lead to the institutional displacement of individuals in society. If the four crises in combination with each other surround the individual and an ideology based on traditional culture is formed, then people will look for a savior and charisma to solve their problems. In such circumstances, if a national community is formed, there is the possibility of the appearance of a charismatic national leader.
 

Abstract The introduction of photographic technology in Iran coincided with the reign of Mohammad Shah Qajar. Through his patronage and with the subsequent support of Naser- o-Din Shah, a substantial archive of images were produced, not only by him but also by other photographers operating under his auspices. The evolution of Iranian photography is intricately linked to the themes favored by Naser- o-Din Shah and his contemporaries. The selection of photographic subjects was not merely a reflection of the king's personal interests and pastime; it was profoundly influenced by the prevailing social conditions and ongoing developments of that era.
The advent of this novel medium of image documentation, which was previously achievable only through painting, corresponded with significant societal shifts within Iran. One notable transformation was witnessed in the realm of penal practices and the portrayal of criminals. The surviving photographs from this period reveal that the perception of a prisoner or an offender fundamentally underwent a different form of representation, ushering in a departure from the preceding norm. The depiction of prisoners assumed a pivotal role alongside other subjects like women and courtiers, demonstrating a departure from the brute force often associated with rulers. This photographic record falls in close proximity to the Iranian Constitutional Revolution and the broader transformations it instigated.
While alterations in penal practices are commonly attributed to post-revolutionary reforms, these images substantiate that the seeds of change were sown during the era of Naser-[1] o-Din Shah and persisted beyond his reign. This article endeavors to elucidate the novel representations of the criminal body in the years preceding the constitutional revolution, employing semiotic analysis as a methodological framework to decode the imagery of prisoners and how is this even conceivable.

Abstract The people of Isfahan have consistently faced the challenge of economic sanctions while living in post-revolutionary Iran. Since 2011, sanctions have intensified and have seriously impacted the everyday lives of Iranians with the goal of causing paralysis. This article aims to interpret the everyday lives of young people in Isfahan during the period of economic sanctions. The conceptual framework of the paper is inspired by Berger and Luckmann's social constructionism theory. The method used is narrative analysis. Episodic interviews were conducted with 16 young men aged 20 to 35, and the data were analyzed using thematic narrative analysis. The findings indicate that the main feature of everyday life during this period is a loss of agency. Although economic sanctions have disrupted the axiomatic aspects of everyday life, other axiomatic routines have been constructed through the struggles and experiences of the actors in this situation.
 
 

Abstract Addiction to substances such as alcohol and marijuana as a global problem has taken a lot of time and money and even political and social actors all over the world. The main purpose of this study is a qualitative analysis of alcohol and marijuana use among girls in the city of Yasuj.
The present study was conducted with a qualitative approach and grounded theory method. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 addict girls based on the grounded theory method and snowball sampling method. Data analysis was done by the method of extracting themes based on the sentence analysis unit and the three-steps coding method of open, axial and selective coding to identify the prominent themes and organize the research findings.
Based on the thematic analysis of the interviews, 9 categories related to the process of alcohol and marijuana use are "low self-esteem and attempts to attract men's attention", "inappropriate family context", "targeted consumption", "economic aspects of consumption" "Ease of use and access", "Inefficiency of legal surveillance devices", "Scope of consumption", "Failure attempts for complete liberation" and "Experience of multiple injuries". These categories were categorized under the core category of "alcohol consumption as an inappropriate social constructivism and portentous self-medication of women."
Alcohol and marijuana use, as an emerging phenomenon, is a growing trend among girls, which demands policymakers’ attention in the field of coping and prevention.

Abstract With a specific focus on youth non-governmental organizations in Isfahan province, this paper aims to demonstrate the way in which the NGOs, while maintaining their relationship with the government, ensure accountability not only to the government but also to their primary beneficiaries, namely, the society. This study utilized the grounded theory method and conducted in-depth interviews with 33 secretaries from youth centers in Isfahan province. The research findings reveal that NGOs uphold accountability towards various stakeholders through specific procedures. The multitude and variety of stakeholders' interests, which are often in conflict with each other, along with the constraints imposed by government agencies on NGOs, turns the process of floating the accountability into a strategy for creating a balance between the various axes of accountability and multiple layers of interests, and especially reserving downward accountability.