Spatiotemporal Politics in Contemporary Iran

In contemporary Iran, commemorative rituals serve as spatio-temporal tools for fostering social bonds, yet they also represent contested spaces where the state and society negotiate power. The portrayal of the past by state institutions often clashes with how individuals remember, creating a conflictual dynamic. This dissertation investigates these dynamics, focusing on the interplay of competing worldviews.

It examines how the Shi’i Weltanschauung of the Iranian state resonates with the younger generation raised in deeply religious contexts, particularly those born and educated in the first decade following the 1979 Revolution. It analyses how the state re-invents the sacred, deploying ideological platforms to reinforce its vision. It also explores how youth from aligned religious milieus interpret, experience, and remember this vision. These processes reveal how the generation constructs new, sometimes contradictory meanings within the Shi’a utopia the state claims to embody.

Using grounded theory and qualitative interviews, this study highlights the divergences between the state’s official narrative and individual memories, showcasing how micro-narratives express agency and resistance. Ultimately, it demonstrates how these narratives contribute to a shared generational knowledge that can challenge, transform, or even merge with the hegemonic Shi’a discourse at pivotal moments.