فهرست مطالب

DIscourse - Volume:31 Issue: 1, Spring 2020

DIscourse
Volume:31 Issue: 1, Spring 2020

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1399/11/30
  • تعداد عناوین: 6
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  • Farhad Qasemi Page 5

    Islamic Revolution of Iran is the most important newly emerging phenomenon in international policy system, causing new developments in international system and regional orders, including Iranian regional order. Among such developments reference should be made to development in physical structures of order, systemic dynamisms, including power dynamics and geo-culture, systemic cycles and trends, behavioral pattern of units and regional and global system as an entirety and control models as part of order. Present literature focuses on postmortem studies and investigation of consequences of such a phenomenon; however, a comprehensive analytical system in connection with the phenomenon characterized by Iranian regional order; Hence, this is a basic pivot of present research. The theory of complexity and disorder concentrating on intra-network communication and the newly emerging phenomenon and analytical models of system order present such phenomenon in the system that make traditional approaches on the definition incapable. For this reason, taking the characteristic of complexity and new complex and chaotic international system and its regional orders as the issues, this study tries or offer an analytical model of the link between Islamic revolution and Iranian regional order.

    Keywords: Iran, Islamic Revolution, Iranian RegionalOrder, Networking Regionalism, Multilayer Control
  • Ehsan Ejazi, Mehdi Lakzi Page 43

    Under current situation, the Iranian-Israeli confrontation at different levels can have a significant impact on the national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In recent years, Israel, along with the United States and some Arab countries, have attempted to implement an anti-Iran containment strategy. Israel’s security and defense policy in the region that lies within the macro framework of foreign policy doctrine of this regime is the military, economic, political, and information containment of Iran in the West Asian region. By doing so, Israel has consistently sought to isolate Iran in the region both politically and economicly. Over the years, Israel has considered Iran as an existential threat to its national security. It is obvious, therefore, that Israeli officials have been using several various methods to contain and deter Iran. Therefore, the question of this paper is: “What is the main strategy of Israel to contain Iran in the Middle East?” The findings of the paper sugget Israel is determined to reduce Iran’s influence in the region by using hard balance strategy in order to force Iran to recognize Israel in de facto fashion. In this regard, Israel has used such strategies as internal and external balance and forged formal and informal coalitions to prevent Iran of becoming a “hegemony” in the region. By pursuing the strategy, Israel expects Iran’s foreign and defence policies be faced with unsurmountable challenges.

    Keywords: Israel, Iran, Balance Strategy, NationalSecurity
  • Mahnaz Goodarzi, Alireza Ghorbanpoor Page 59

    Compilation and implementation of efficient cultural diplomacy serves as the most important mechanism and tool for materialization of the objectives of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s foreign policy. That’s of importance regarding the position of cultural diplomacy in establishing relations with the target community’s elite and people at large. Policy makers, officials, statesmen and scientific associations in Islamic Republic of Iran have over recent years found importance of and the need for growing expansion of cultural diplomacy. To this end, extensive investment and activities have been made; scientifically and theoretically the measures have been in the form of writing articles and books and holding seminars and sessions; while the measures taken practically have been in the form of establishing and expanding mechanisms inside and outside the country, quantitative and qualitative expansion of media activities, especially setting up different radio and TV networks, accepting foreign students and theology students, exchange of different delegates of elite and reference groups and so on. It is of importance and double priority for Islamic Republic to launch cultural diplomacy in the Middle East due to the fact that over recent years, we have been witnessing two strong waves of Iranophobia and Shiiaphobia, raised by regional and trans-regional actors, to isolate Tehran in political-security and cultural domains. The importance of this comes from the position of cultural diplomacy in communicating with the elites and the general public of the target community. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, in recent years, the issue of the importance and development of cultural diplomacy has been increasingly considered by policymakers, officials, agents and scientific societies, and in this regard, large investments and activities are scientifically and theoretically through articles, books, conferences and Meetings, as well as practical ones, have been conducted through the creation and expansion of mechanisms inside and outside the country, quantitative and qualitative development of media activities, especially the launch of various radio and television networks, admission of students and foreign students, exchange of various delegations from elites and reference groups. The need for cultural diplomacy of the Islamic Republic in the Middle East is therefore doubly important and a priority that in recent years has witnessed the intensification of two strong waves of Iranophobia and Shiaophobia by regional and trans-regional actors in order to isolate Tehran. This article aims to explain and define cultural diplomacy of the Islamic Republic in the Middle East. Author believes that politicosocio- cultural developments and changes in the Middle East over the past few years along with the two afore-mentioned strong waves, mandate reconsidering Iran’s foreign policy approach towards using tools of cultural diplomacy and redefining traditional cultural diplomacy.

    Keywords: Diplomacy, Soft Power, Islamic-IranianCulture, Foreign Policy, National Interests, Middle East
  • Seyed Javad Salehi, Mohsen Keshvarian Azad Page 91

    Investigation of Iran’s foreign policy from the standpoint of international relations theories should be regarded as a topic being scrutinized in recent years, and each of the theories in turn contains its own strong points and weaknesses. Since the critical theory regarding international relations has not been well the focus of studies – an evidence of which is scarce studies on Iran’s foreign policy -- this article tries to examine Iran’s foreign policy on the Middle East in the post-Islamic Revolution era. This study tries to fulfil its goal through checking correspondence of theory with the specific case with respect to the critical theory of international relations. This research will take assumptions and concepts of the said theory on the axis, trying to gauge its effectiveness in analyzing the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Middle East. For the same purpose, this article takes an analytical-explanatory approach to address the question, “How the critical theory of international relations can analyze Iran’s foreign policy on the Middle East in the post-Islamic Revolution era?” In another words, “Is Iran’s foreign policy on the Middle East in the post- Islamic Revolution era consistent with the critical theory of international relations?” To answer this question, this research assumes that from the perspective of critical theory of foreign policy, governments in the international system must be oriented to accountability and be revisionist so as to get rid of the hegemonic domination and unfair international structure to establish the desired condition of justice. It should be noted that the assumptions considered in this research are in line with the Islamic Seyed Javad Salehi1 Mohsen Keshvarian Azad2 Abstract Critical Theory; Analytical Framework of Islamic Republic of Iran’s Middle East Foreign Policy 92 Republic of Iran’s foreign policy on the Middle East in the post-Islamic Revolution era. Therefore, by applying the principles and assumptions of the critical theory and by outlining their commonalities, the researchers will provide an objective and systematic picture of Iran’s foreign policy in the Middle East.

    Keywords: Iran’s Foreign Policy, Critical Theory, Savior Logic, Logic of Accountability, Justice Administration, Structural Change, Middle East
  • Morteza Esmaeili, Mehdi Jokar Page 123

    Public protests in Egypt on January 25, 2011, led to extensive demonstrations against Hosni Mubarak, forcing him to quit power within 18 days. Cyber protests of the youth (Mostly the educated youth) marked beginning of the movement. The Internetand social network protests widened their scope to streets of Cairo. Little by little the demonstrations of several hundred persons spread to other dissident social groups and involved several hundred thousand people in demonstrations. The result was Hosni Mubarak’s dismissal. The developments formed new waves in analyses that why and how such immense events took place in the Arab states. Our approach in this study to recent developments in Egypt is the effects of change in the structure of the international system after the Cold Warand further globalization in formation of new middle class in Egypt and its impact on the January 25 revolution. To this end, this study tries to address the question that what an impact had international system’s structural developments after the Cold Warend and growing globalization on Egypt’s January 25 revolution? To address the question, it should be said that the post-Cold Warstructural developments and expansion of globalization strengthened the new middle class in Egypt and the outstanding role of the class in the revolution on January 25, 2011.

    Keywords: International System, Cold War, Globalization, New Middle Class, the January 25 Revolution in Egypt
  • Saied Satei Page 147

    Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and manifestation of the newly independent states, South Caucasus has become the scene of rivalry between powers due to the vacuum of power preponderance. Given the high level of tension and competition amongst the major actors in the region, characterized by ethnic-religious fractions, any (re-emerging) conflict will potentially become a plane of struggle between Iran, Turkey and Russia as regional powers that are competing with the United States and its Western allies as external actors for effectively expanding their influence and achieving strategic local interests. This raises the question of how the regional and trans-regional actors’ approach has had an impact on the security issues in South Caucasus following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Following formation of the newly independent political systems in South Caucasus, each of the regional and transregional actors has excerpted different approaches. Regional powers view that maintenance of peace and stability requires cooperation of all states in the area without foreign interference. Conversely, trans-regional actors based on security and stability provisions pursue distinct goals. It appears that adoption of such paths has not provided appropriate local stability yet. It is inferred overall that states in question endeavor to maintain the current status quo and international order too, at least for the time being.

    Keywords: Regional Powers, Trans-National Powers, Russia, South Caucasus, Power Transition Theory