Understanding the Cultural Diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Middle East: The Need for a Coherent Approach to Constructivism and Discourse Analysis

Subject Areas : INTERCULTURAL STUDIES QUARTERLY

parisa  pourali ¹ (PhD Student, Department of International Relations, Kish International Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kish, Iran)
Mohamad reza  Dehshiri ² (Professor, Department of International Relations, Faculty of International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tehran, Iran)
Mohammadreza  Ghaedi ³ (Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran)
hasan  khodaverdi ⁴ (Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2019-06-25 Accepted : 2019-10-21 Published : 2019-12-21

Keywords: Structuralism, Identity, Middle East, Discourse Analysis, Cultural diplomacy,

Abstract :

Although the Middle East has always been one of the main focuses in the evolving international system, its role and importance in theories of international relations, especially the so-called mainstream theories, have been neglected. The Islamic Republic is one of the leading countries in cultural diplomacy in this region. Understanding the cultural diplomacy of Iran's foreign policy in the context of mainstream theories is not possible. Therefore, the use of new theories in a combined way can provide the basis for a deep understanding of the foreign cultural policy of the Islamic Republic in the Middle East. Now, based on the main concern of this article, by criticizing this deliberate expulsion of the region and its actors from the theory of international relations, the question arises that “why and how constructivism can it provide a basis for understanding the cultural diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Middle East?" The findings of this theoretical-strategic article show that according to the social, cultural and identity approach of constructivist theories and discourse analysis, as well as special features of the foreign cultural policy of the Islamic Republic focusing on the social construction of reality, it is possible to build an integrated framework. The research method in this article is qualitative with a descriptive-historical approach and the research data has been collected in a library manner by taking notes.

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