Social media and challenges to ethnic identities in Iran

Abstract

The global nature of social media has brought ethnic challenges from regional and national stages to the world arena. The current study analyzes these challenges under the framework of Globalization theories. There are two general approaches to globalization: the first believes in complete global homogeneity, while the other does not believe in such an optimistic viewpoint. The purpose here is to clarify which of these two approaches have been used by social media as a means of global communication in relation to Iranian ethnic identities. For that matter, the researchers have conducted in-depth interviews with 11 experts in social communications, anthropology, and sociology and data were analyzed using MAXQDA 10 software. The results demonstrated that the performance of social media has created a dual situation, that is, on the one side they have preserved the Iranian ethnic identity and on the other, they have led them to be influenced by global culture. In other words, social media have reinforced the cultural coexistence of ethnic groups nationally and globally. With regard to separatist ethnic groups, social media do not play a significant role, as this issue is influenced by other social and political factors. Ultimately, the Iranian ethnic motivation to resist global nationality and culture is limited, although social media give them such ability.

Keywords

• social media
• iranian ethnic identities
• cultural coexistence
• ethnic separatism