The anthropological research about to undertaken in this project centres around modern Shicite Sufi identity in Iran, which will be dealt with by exploring the construction of modern self in the... Show moreThe anthropological research about to undertaken in this project centres around modern Shicite Sufi identity in Iran, which will be dealt with by exploring the construction of modern self in the Soltanca lishahi order. This and possibly other Iranian orders will be compared. Also compared will be two instances of modernity: the coming into being of the nation-state in early 20th-century Iran (particularly 1905-1911 and 1921-1941), and the re-emergence of a civil society since the last decade of the 20th century (especially since 1997). It is presumed that the former periods evidenced state-oriented identity formations, while the latter period witnessed more anti-statist ones. These are two variations of a modern Sufi orientation towards the Iranian nation. Show less
In the Western nation-state, the government, the media and the dominant culture determine who is regarded as a minority and what constitutes difference, whether ethnic, religious or otherwise. The... Show moreIn the Western nation-state, the government, the media and the dominant culture determine who is regarded as a minority and what constitutes difference, whether ethnic, religious or otherwise. The attributes of groups used as markers of difference can change over time, but increasingly religion is used as an immutable marker. Show less
