Socio-Cultural Strategy

Socio-Cultural Strategy

Representation of the changes of Safavid Iran as “other” in the travelogues of European Orientalists

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Fateme Helali 1
Gholam Raza Jamshidiha 2
1 phD Student in Social Science, Universiry of Tehran. Iran
2 Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/scs.2022.148764
Abstract
The Safavid era is a turning point in the history of Islamic Iran in terms of recognizing the other. The identity and social personality of Safavid society with components such as national unity and independence, Shiism and the emperor is known as the perfect guide. The combination of these components provided the birth of the cultural and civilizational layer of Safavid Iran, which resulted in a new social identity. This article seeks to answer the question of how the developments of Safavid Iran as “the other” are represented in the travelogues of European orientalists? Orientalists’ views on the representation of this image are very variable. This variability is directly related to the eras and generations of Safavid Kings and rulers, so that at the height and decline of the ruling power, the integrity of Iran are very different, which seems to be due to lack of institutional levels. Also, the society of Safavid Iran in the face of two societies and civilizations –Ottoman and Chrisiian West- created a new image of itself, meaning that it gained a new cognition by another cognition. The other was a mirror in which I saw myself. This happened to two other civilizations as well. Of course, Western civilization at that time was not a “unit against” against Iran, but represented itself as a whole against its enemy –the Ottomans. The result of this other triangle was new knowledge and awareness for all three of these communities.
Keywords
changes
Safavid Iran
other
travelogues
European Orientalists
 
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  • Receive Date 04 April 2022
  • Revise Date 15 April 2022
  • Accept Date 25 April 2022