An Analysis of the Representation of Ferdowsi's Character in the Discourse of Archaistic Nationalism during the First Pahlavi Era Based on Gramsci's Theory of Cultural Hegemony

Document Type : Contemporary history of Iran

Authors

1 PhD student in Cultural Policy, Baqir-ul-Ulum University, Qom, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Sociology, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Baqir-ul-Ulum University, Qom, Iran.

Abstract

Cultural icons are considered part of a nation's intellectual reserves and can facilitate public persuasion and cultural hegemony within governance structures. The figure of Ferdowsi is among such icons, holding an exceptional position in Iran's cultural and literary landscape from multiple perspectives. Consequently, it has consistently attracted the attention of rulers, intellectuals, and the general public, both domestically and internationally. Employing Antonio Gramsci's theoretical framework of "cultural hegemony" and Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe's "discourse analysis" methodology, this research seeks to address how the discourse of archeo-nationalism in the first Pahlavi era utilized the representation of Ferdowsi as a hegemonic tool to establish legitimacy and reproduce its political culture.

The findings confirm the hypothesis that the state instrumentally and selectively portrayed Ferdowsi as an effective means to legitimize its political discourse and foster public consensus (acquiescence). The study demonstrates that Ferdowsi was transformed from a "floating signifier" into a symbol temporarily fixed around the "nodal point" of archeo-nationalism—comprising elements such as Aryan racial superiority, the grandeur of pre-Islamic Iran, and opposition to Arabs. Through this process, specific aspects of Ferdowsi (e.g., savior of the Persian language, preserver of imperial glory) were emphasized by "organic intellectuals" and institutions such as the educational system, the press, and symbolic ceremonies (e.g., the Ferdowsi Millennium Celebration), while other dimensions of his thought (e.g., his critique of power, advocacy for justice, and Islamic beliefs) were marginalized or distorted. This representation, reinforced through the mechanism of "othering" against constructed "others" (Arabs, Islam, and the Islamic period), contributed to the hegemony of the dominant discourse.

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References

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  • Receive Date: 11 August 2025
  • Revise Date: 20 September 2025
  • Accept Date: 21 September 2025
  • Publish Date: 22 May 2026

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