Semiotic Analysis of Stamps of the Islamic Republic of Iran(1979-2001); Transition from Political to Social Signs

Abstract

Semiotics is the science of studying the sign systems and, in fact, an interpretive process for understanding the hidden truth behind the signs, mysteries, and signs and cultural symbols. In addition, semiotics tells us that structures can be meaningful. The sign system in the Islamic Republic of Iran is very important because of the creation of a new Shiite identity. The present study examines the process of transition from political symbols to social symbols in the stamps between 1979- 2001 as a cultural instrument of the Islamic Republic of Iran through a combination of content analysis and semiotics. The findings of this study indicate that the process of changing the emblems on stamps between 1979- 2001 indicates that the Islamic Republic of Iran's legitimacy has shifted from rulers to society and from political to social.

Keywords

• islamic republic of iran
• semiotics
• stamps
• semiotic system
• social signs