Shi`a Pajoohi

Shi`a Pajoohi

Shi'i Identity in the Qajar Period Based on European Travelogues: Identity-Forming Elements, Characteristics, and Its Impact on Encounters with Foreigners

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mehrdad Divsalar 1
seyyed Razi ghadery 2
1 Ph.D. Graduate in History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
2 Ph.D. Graduate in Moral Philosophy, Baqir al-Olum University, Qom, Iran.
Abstract
The emergence of a political Shi'i identity in the contemporary period, given its historical antecedents, constituted an inevitable transformation. This study examines the identity formed during the Qajar era through the manifestations and characteristics of the Shi'i faith, and further explores the influence of this identity formation on the attitudes of Iranians toward their own society, as well as their modes of engagement with religious minorities and Europeans. The documentary basis of this research consists of the writings of European travelers who visited Iran during the Qajar period and produced valuable accounts of various regions of the country and its people. Due to their interactions with diverse strata of Iranian society—ranging from commoners to elites—and their lack of affiliation with official Qajar institutions, these travelers recorded particularly insightful information. The present study seeks to evaluate these accounts employing a descriptive-analytical methodology. Identifying the Shi'i identity of Iranians in the Qajar era can prove instrumental in understanding processes of political, social, and cultural identity formation, particularly with regard to the political agency of Iranians and its consequences; hence, an examination of this subject appears imperative. Beyond investigating the components and characteristics of identity formation, the primary concern of this research is to analyze the influence of Qajar-era Iranian attitudes on the shaping of Shi'i identity, as well as to examine the effect of this identity formation on their perceptions and actions toward Europeans and religious minorities. The scholarly findings indicate that the Shi'i identity of Iranians during the Qajar period played a significant role in shaping their attitudes toward foreigners. By virtue of the identity-forming characteristics of Shi'ism, Qajar-era Iranians maintained a sense of superiority over both foreigners and religious minorities.
Keywords
Qajar
Travelers
Shi'i Identity
Identity-Forming Elements
Religious Minorities
Subjects
References
 
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