نشریه مطالعات راهبردی بسیج
پیاپی 52 (پاییز 1390)

Insurgency and Jihadi movements throughout the world take shape based on different principles and motivations, and are interpreted through different explanatory theories. The way these movements have been explained by thinkers indicate that they lack the integrity they should have, for, above all, they have a regional way of looking at things, and that neither explain the miscellaneous faces of social movements on a macro level, nor can they explain the coercive and the non-coercive public protests and uprisings on a worldwide scale. With such an approach, that Imam Khomeini’s theories have gone a long way toward establishing the Islamic Republic of Iran, and that liberation movements worldwide have occurred in the form of public mobilization on the basis of the charismatic messages that have originated from Islam provides a model. This model, while covering many elements cited in other theories, can present modern measures so Basiji movements can be shaped on the basis of a charismatic message. The charismaticness of messages such as seeking justice, combating oppression, love of freedom, the governance of the oppressed and the like are so widely attractive and effective that can be convenient substitutes for charismatic leadership in movements that are formed on the basis of the human nature against domination and oppression. This writing has addressed this new theory in the area of explaining social movements.

Just as identity and cultural conflicts have become significant, and soft war has been increasingly resorted to after 9/11 in America’s imperialistic logic in countering the world of Islam, the concepts and structures of power, security, threat, warfare and defense have undergone a fundamental change. In such an atmosphere, security threats have progressed in all levels such that they have challenged the software infrastructures of national security management, remarkably decreasing the possibility of threat management. It follows that achieving success in the area of countering soft threats requires a strategy of total defense. In total defense, coordination in the area of policy making, both administrative and punitive, is carried out on the basis of a specified fundamental strategy which links spheres of soft and hard power, creating a convenient mix in the form of an intelligent management. This mix strengthens the chances of creating a full control over the process of soft security production, while increasing capabilities and capacities. In fact, today, the strategy of total defense constitutes the most effective means for countering the soft threats adopted by the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Using the theoretical framework of soft security and the strategy of total political defense, the present article answers the question of “What role does Basij play in strengthening the foundations of soft security, and of engaging in the total defense of the Islamic Republic of Iran?” In this article, the hypothesis is that due to its having political, social, economic, and cultural functions in the society, Basij enjoys a very important status in producing soft security for the regime, and has a share in the success of the strategy of total defense, because it is one of the most important sources of social assets and political integrity.

Soft War is a series of violent, deliberate and planned actions that cause a change to occur in cultural identity, and fundamental attitudes and values, and inculcate the idea that the political model believed by people in a political system to be plausible is ineffective. In using soft war against their enemies, states resort to different means and tools, among which media play the most important role in the process of behavioral models and decision making, and ultimately social-cultural identities. One of the modern media the use of which has been recently paid attention is the mobile and its message sending capability, namely SMS. This research takes into consideration the soft war and the role SMS plays as a sweeping and social medium in such a war directed at changing national behavior and social identity, and explains how this media has come to play a role on the political arena of Iran. It employs an analytical-explanatory method, emphasizing on library documents. In accordance to the research results, firstly SMS has the capability of playing an active role in political events and developments, and of implementing the objective sought by soft war as a media tool. Secondly, in addition to the relevant and widely cited evidence in the case of implementing the project of soft war and cultural invasion against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the developing sense of non-belonging to the social system in the identity of the Iranian society, and the implementation of the policy of audience phantasm in the country’s internal atmosphere has established the grounds required by SMS to play a role as one of the tools of soft war against our country.

Communication is a very moving and strong factor in conducting the objectives sought by organizations, groups, parties, and communities. One of the tools that is capable of shaping this communication in an effective manner. On this basis, the present article addresses the conceptualization of virtual social networks and the stages through which these are shaped. Virtual social networks, both general and specialized, are two common types of these networks. Examples of each have been studied along with users absorbed by them. Similarly, the seven stages through which the virtual social networks have been formed and the variables effective in information technology being accepted by users were studied, where six factors were identified by applying Maslow's hierarchy of needs as reasons for individuals’ tendency to be admitted as members of virtual social networks, namely 1) satisfying the need to belonging to a group 2) achieving virtual identity, 3) expecting efforts, 4) expecting implementation, 4) subjective norm (social influence), 5) facilitating conditions. Also, the role played by non-governmental organizations in virtual social networks was studied, and features like being non-governmental, independent, spontaneous, and specially securing natural needs were emphasized. The result being that for social networks and non- governmental organizations that designed them to succeed, they are to help users secure and satisfy their needs in a proper manner.

The present article is a research that was carried out in order to detect Basiji students’ intellectual and cultural needs, as well as to study the difference existing between their needs in terms of variables such as age, gender, education etc.... Considering different definitions and perceptions of ‘need’ such as the gap between the status quo and the optimal situation, wanting or preferring, deficit or shortage, each definition was taken an account. In so doing, and in order to achieve the objectives of the research, the research tool was designed and implemented for the statistical sample studying the theoretical fundamentals of research, the statements made by the Supreme Leader, the previous researches made on the students’ intellectual and cultural needs, while interviewing the Basiji authorities and commanders, university students and clergymen. The factor structure in this questionnaire was confirmed using orthogonal rotation through the main parameters. The study made on the internal consistency of the questionnaire using Cronbach's alpha coefficient indicated that all reliability coefficients were optimal and satisfactory. The research results showed that students’ needs included intellectual needs, general cultural needs (art, literary, sports and recreational, political, social, guild, religious, and religious), and specific cultural needs. The weight of the related factors in each has been addressed by the article. Considering the nonconformity among the status quo, and what needs require, it is suggested that appropriate plans be developed in order to decrease the existing gap between the status quo and the expected optimal situation.

The present article was carried out involving 1857 Basiji members from different classes from 8 provinces. The sampling method was multiple-stage cluster sample and regular random. In this descriptive research, a questionnaire was drawn up- to examine the variables under study- on the basis of the intended results of interviews with experienced people as well as by studying the existing sources and texts, which underwent a preliminary examination. The results showed the Tool's internal consistency equals 739/0. The data achieved were analyzed through different statistical methods such as Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Stepwise Regression Analysis. The results showed that the extent to which the Basij members are willing to continue their membership is high. Regression analysis was used in studying the factors related to the members’ willingness to continue their membership. Various variables were involved in this analysis, among which gender, age, education, occupation, membership record in Basij and the organizational level can be cited. The results showed that there is a meaningful and positive relationship between the type of volunteering, the organizational level in Basij, and the membership record with the score given to the way members are willing to stay. The Basiji Sisters (Khaharan) have a more stable membership than the Basiji Brothers (Baradaran) and.... Other applied inferences and results are mentioned in the article.

What international law gives as the definition of liberation fightings is not comprehensive enough. In fact, as opposed to terrorism, this concept is divisive in any relevant international forum, preventing an integrated definition of this concept. Although it has been referred to in important documents, a few of states are still deeming it as illegitimate. This writing, while studying the legitimacy of the mentioned category from the perspective of international law, has set out to point out the resistance movements’ right to wage an armed struggle to exercise their right to self determination, explained the difference between the concept of resistance and that of separatism and … which are introduced as terrorist actions, and explored the confusion between these two.