Content analysis of Iran-Iraq war movies in terms of peace/violence advocacy

Cinema could be considered an effective tool in observational learning, regardless of its genera. The war genera, the most significant one in post-revolutionary Iran, could be a tool for advocating both peace and violence. To determine the educational functions of this type of films, a sample of six war movies (two from each decade since the Iran-Iraq war) was selected and then content-analyzed. The instrument used was the researcher constructed Peace and Violence Inventory. The results show that most reviewed movies advocate violence rather than peace, as they are aimed at creating war heroes, depicting war as holy, and glorifying those involved in its machinery. Films exploring the devastation caused by the war, the destruction imposed on humans and their relationships, and the victory of compassion over animosity were in the minority.