Kermanshah Earthquake and the Demythologization of Nation-State

This article seeks to analyze the Kermanshah earthquake as a sign of contemporary Iranian social and political dynamics in shaping or reconstructing the nation-state image. The study shows that the "collective event" of coping with Kermanshah earthquake in the form of a "dramatic event", does not reinforce and rebuild the nation-state image. In addition, distrust of citizens in public donor agencies, and their direct intervention in helping and trusting to the volunteer elites, undermined the image of government efficiency in Iran.
The study enjoyed Critical Discourse Analysis to analyze “participation of celebrities in fundraising”, “independent participation of citizens in earthquake zones” and the “Village of Hope Project”. The results indicate the failure of government to reinforce the nation-state image in the aftermath of the Kermanshah earthquake. The independent participation of a significant number of citizens implies the falling myth of pervasive government and challenge the influence and effectiveness of government in recent years.