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The Role of Social-Identity Beliefs in the Trends of Foreign Policy of Iran

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2017

MEHDI HEDAYATI SHAHIDANI
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Guilan, Islamic Republic of [email protected] and [email protected]
ROMAN VLADIMIROVICH PENKOVTSEV
Affiliation:
Department of International Relations and Foreign Area Studies, Kazan Federal University, Russian [email protected] and [email protected]

Abstract

Values and elements of popular culture play an important role in shaping and implementing the foreign policy of Iran. In this paper, using content analysis and after explaining the characteristics of Iranian identity, the author seeks to investigate the implications of Iranian social beliefs on foreign policy. In other words, the author sets out to explore whether the perceptions and attitudes of Iranian identity at different historical periods have been the basis according to which Iranian politicians have followed the same model or not? For this purpose, three major components, the influence in the regional area, xenophobia, and conspiracy theorythat are complementary in nature, have been selected. Research findings illustrate that the long history of societies like Iran has been the raison d'etre for the recurrence of social beliefs and values in various political eras of such societies.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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