Faṣlnāmah-i Pizhūhish/hā-yi Rāhburdī-i Siyāsat (May 2015)
The Role of Culture in Genesis of Cultural Iranophobia in the Persian Gulf Countries
Abstract
Cultural Iranophobia is a phenomenon that resembles the Persian Gulf countries’ fear of Iran’s identity and culture. This fear comes from an unreal presumption that they have given to Iran’s cultural components and foundations. According to this way of thinking, a system of meaning has been constructed in their view, that we can call it a “discourse”. This discourse consists of many elements like Shiism, Iranian nationality and the revolutionary nature. This phenomenon can have irreparable effects on Iran’s cultural image and landscape. It can also hinder Iran’s strategies and programs for extension of its culture to the regional and global cultural space. Hence, this research tries to analyze the role of culture in genesis of cultural Iranophobia in the Persian Gulf states and bring up the question about the the genesis of cultural Iranophobia in countries in Persian Gulf arena. The hypothesis of this research is that dualism between Arab and Ajam [non-Arab], intervention modeling and Conservative / revolutionary attitude are elements of Iranophobia in the Persian Gulf state; and these elements are intensified by Iran’s enemies and created a horrifying image from the Islamic Republic of Iran, so it will reduces Iran’s cultural relations.
