Conference:
Iranianness in Flux: Iranian Identities Revisited

When: June 4-6, 2025

Where:  Campus at Kirkegata 23-25, Harvard Room, Oslo

Host: Kristiania University of Applied Sciences

Registration: Coming up

Conference Overview

The aim of this conference is to explore key aspects of the contemporary Iranian sociocultural and sociopolitical landscape through critical engagements with competing perspectives on Iranian identity. By bringing together scholars from various disciplines, we seek to foster a comprehensive understanding of these issues. Identity is central to connecting the past and present. We intend to investigate the interaction between, and appropriations of, the past and present in shaping modern conceptions of Iranian identity. We raise the question of what Iranniat (Iranianness) has historically consisted of, or ought to consist of, and what are the main ideological forces seeking to (re-)define Iranian identity. Furthermore, we aim to explore the ways in which contestations around Iranian identity both shapes, and are shaped by, historically specific movements in/for which the notion of Iranianness has emerged as a key political and ideological faultline, a circumstance thrown into sharp relief by the social movement of ‘Women, Life, Freedom’. Ultimately, this conference aims to generate new insights and foster dialogue that can contribute to ongoing debates and policy-making processes related to Iranian identity.

Important Dates

Paper submission deadline: March 28, 2025 
Registration deadline: May 5, 2025 
Conference date: June 4-6, 2025 

Conference Themes

Historical Context and Collective Memory

• Revisiting the ideas of Iranianness and their historical constitution.
• The dialectic of the past and present in defining Iranian identities.
• Analyzing collective memories and historically shared knowledge and experiences within Iran

Ideological Forces and Sociopolitical Movements

• Analyzing the role of Nationalism, Islamism, Ethnicity, and the Left in modern sociopolitical movements.
• Examining the extent to which these ideologies may or may not shed light on the question of diversity, especially in the post-Women, Life, Freedom era.
• Investigating ways the question of diversity is addressed by various participants in the Iranian opposition in the post-Women, Life, Freedom era.
• Evaluating diverse approaches to oppositional politics in Iran.

Future Directions

• Discussing potential inclusive Iranian Identity: Envisioning an inclusive future for Iranian identity that embraces diversity and pluralism.
• Identifying Emerging Trends: Exploring new and emerging trends in Iranian sociocultural and sociopolitical landscapes.
• Global Perspectives: Considering the impact of global dynamics on Iranian identity and sociopolitical movements. 

Conference Structure

• Opening Session: Examination of Iran's modern historical context.
• Session 1: Exploration of Nationalism and its impact on Iranian identity.
• Session 2: Analysis of Islam's role in shaping Iranian sociopolitical dynamics.
• Session 3: Discussion on the influence of Leftist ideologies in Iran.
• Session 4: Understanding the interplay between these ideologies and the question of identity and diversity in the post-Women, Life, Freedom era.
• Session 5: Investigation of diverse approaches to the question of diversity within the Iranian oppositional scene.
• Closing Session: Evaluation of the diverse approaches to collective identity within Iran’s oppositional tendencies.              

Submission Guidelines

• We invite scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit abstracts of no more than 250 words, along with a brief biography, by 28th of March 2025. Submissions should address one or more of the conference themes and contribute to the academic examination of Iran's sociocultural and sociopolitical landscape.
• Language for abstracts (and conference): English and/or Persian
• Please send your submissions to Sharam.alghasi@kristiania.no
• All submitted papers will undergo a rigorous peer-review process based on their originality and relevance to the conference themes.

Scientific Committee

• Professor Azadeh Kian, University of Paris Cité, France
• Professor Saeed Payvandi, University of Lorraine, France
• Professor Sharam Alghasi, Kristiania University College, Norway