جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه "return to the self" در نشریات گروه "علوم انسانی"

Under the influence of the global post-colonial wave following World War II, Iranian intellectuals, drawing on a deep historical tradition of xenophobia and a desire for independence, and influenced by the rise of leftist discourse in Iran, developed a narrative of “returning to the self” within the country's cultural and political context. This discourse became dominant during those decades, shaping various fields of thought, including Iranian fiction. One significant cultural work that embodies this ideology is Simin Daneshvar’s realist novel Savushun. In this novel, Daneshvar portrays British dominance over different aspects of life in Shiraz during the occupation of southern Iran to illustrate the threat to the national identity of the local population. Through this depiction, she urges readers to rediscover their identity by invoking key elements of Iranian culture. This article employs a descriptive-analytical method to explore Savushun, identifying key signs of xenophobia and the theme of returning to the self. Findings reveal how Daneshvar emphasizes the dangers posed by foreign interference and cultural domination by highlighting the political and cultural roles of foreigners. Moreover, she underscores the threat of Western cultural oppression by drawing on elements of Iranian identity, including epic and religious stories. Daneshvar further strengthens this message by showcasing the historical significance of Persian language as a core component of Iranian national identity, and by aligning her characters with mythological and religious figures, while referencing historical and religious landmarks. Ultimately, the novel is a call for cultural and personal reclamation in the face of foreign dominance.

Dariush Shaygan is one of the most prominent thinkers in the contemporary realm of Iranian intellectualism whose ideas have received many attentions all over the world. With regard to the destructive assault of modernity which tried to vanish eastern values and morals, Shaygan called for a return to the local values and traditions, a call which was heard by other intellectuals such as Fardid, Al-e Ahmad, Shariati and Naraqi in 1960s. In examining the relationship between mythic thought of Shaygan and his ideas about the West and East, the article, using the approach of sociology of thought and mythical criticism, tries to test this hypothesis that Shaygan, having viewed the world through mythical lenses composed of elements including irrationalism, collectivism, cyclical concept of time, and establishing imaginary binary opposition, had a transcendental and aesthetic concept of the East which resulted in overlooking the realities and failures of eastern culture. Consequently, he prescribed a return to the local, authentic identity as the only panacea for the harassment of western Modernity.

The Islamic Revolution of Iran introduced new values to the humanity and reshaped our identity. One of the consequences of this revolution was inspiring the change in our point of view toward the West and toward the status of the contemporary world. On this basis, there is a dire need to adopt a stance appropriate to the values of Islamic Revolution and its Iranian-Islamic identity against the West and its culturalaxiological system. As the ideologist and leader of the Islamic Revolution and founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini introduced an approach to theWest that is concordant with and conforming to the generality of our culture on one hand, and on the other hand, pictures our revolutionary stance vis-à-vis the West. On this basis, our major question will be: What stance does Imam Khomeini picture for our revolutionary society vis-à-vis the West and its cultural, axiological and ideological system? Imam Khomeini’s approach centers round not only rejecting Occidentalism, but also negating any tendency toward Western culture in its diversified forms with respect to such factors and principles as humanism, materialism and secularism, individualism, and hegemony. His approach prescribes resistance against aggressive behavior of the West and introducing the plan for revival of Iranian-Islamic identity via trust in God, the Initiator of the world of being. In this approach, the West is a symbol of the fall of the belief in the Holy Truth and the East is the symbol of the rise of the belief in the Holy Truth and manifestation of Light, based on which man returns to his real “self” or to his divine innate nature, thus steps in the path of spiritual perfection and real salvation by rejecting Occidentalism.

Al-Ahmad as acritical thinker that attitude critical view and attention to the selfish identity challanged the West and the Westernization and ultimately rejecting it, expressed the idea of "Return to the Self". Al-Ahmad for the treatment of retardation and release of the community from domination of the West, points its attention to two important factors: internal and external. retardation and Gharbzadegi (infatuation with the West) in his thought imphy process in different political, economic, social and cultural aspects. Accordingly, he, on the one hand attends to the problem of Gharbzadegi (infatuation with the West) and on the other hand to the problem of Intellectual. "Return to the Self" is his solution for the treatment of illness of retardation and escape from the problems of society. Return to Self means return to system of values, culture, relgion and idea of self: Islam. Consequently, he wants to reform of intellectual and clergy and come these to the scene and creating links between the two main intellectual agents in Iranian society.