Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities

Abstract Intercultural adaptation is a dynamic process of establishing effective communication in multicultural settings and holds particular importance due to its impact on all aspects of international students’ academic and social lives. Since the Asian student population currently constitutes the largest share of international students in universities across the world, understanding their experiences in host universities has become an increasing priority. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing intercultural adaptation among Asian students. Data for this study were systematically collected from 33 scholarly articles on Asian students' experience in host universities published between the years 2012 and 2024 and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings identify two central components of the intercultural adaptation process: "perceived differences" by Asian international students and "unrecognized commonalities" by host institutions. By perceived differences, it is meant that international students are aware of the academic, linguistic, and cultural gaps in the host environment and that their effort at adapting is through the use of tolerance and flexibility. On the other hand, unrecognized commonalities mean the limited capacity of the host university to provide common spaces for meaningful interaction as manifest in discrimination, racism, bias, stereotyping, and stigmatization. These challenges culminate in making students feel like they do not belong, the invalidation of their identity, and ultimately, a reinforced sense of alterity and alienation which disrupts together the processes of effective mutual adaptation. Since intercultural adaptation is a two-way process, the effectiveness of such adaptation could be guaranteed only when there is a two-way engagement between international students and the host society. This study emphasized that a "third culture" is imperative-a shared environment from the initial cultural differences in which meaning will be constructed collaboratively by the two groups involved and for which mutual respect, openness, patience, and tolerance will form the basis. Strengthening this shared environment requires focused efforts toward the reduction of discrimination, stereotyping, and racism in host university.

Abstract The foundation of modern sciences on absolute and fundamental philosophies, or in other words, the construction of supplementary philosophies, represents an approach that the scientific community in the West has pursued in recent decades. This pursuit is such that it attributes part of its scientific superiority and dominance to the extension of those absolute philosophies into new sciences. Among those who have successfully engaged with this extension, emphasizing the field of sociology, is Peter Winch, who has managed to philosophically enrich this discipline. The main question of this research is: What are Peter Winch's epistemological foundations in intercultural communication? The method employed in this study is qualitative, with an interpretive approach and an analytical-critical perspective. According to Winch, since rules are inherently social, understanding the actions of others and various cultures requires the comprehension of governing rules. He also asserts that there is no meta-language or meta-rule encompassing all. Winch views rationality standards as arising from diverse life forms and social contexts, thus considering rationality standards to be multiple and non-comparable. He argues that each culture possesses its own specific rational evaluation criteria, where deviation from these rules undermines rationality. In his view, standards and rules do not qualify as criteria until they are elevated to a social level. Essentially, Winch emphasizes social rules while denying private language and rejecting transcultural rationality. He believes that to understand human actions and diverse cultures, one must recognize the governing social rules. He contends that there is no overarching meta-language or meta-rule that encompasses all rules, and that rationality standards depend on varied life forms and social contexts. This implies that rationality cannot be uniformly assessed across different cultures; each culture has its unique criteria for rational evaluation. Deviating from these rules can lead to a loss of rationality. Therefore, Winch underscores the importance of social rules and rejects private language and transcultural rationality, asserting that standards and rules are only recognized as such when elevated to a social level.

Abstract This article aims to address some of the important consequences of the Anthropocene for social relations from a sociological perspective. Stressing on the multidimensionality of environmental changes globally, the paper argues that understanding the new conditions requires interdisciplinary studies and a reevaluation of existing approaches to nature and environmental issues in general. It uses the notion of the Anthropocene to criticize the well-established modernist view distinguishing between nature and society and to discuss that sociology must include nature as an active and constructive agent in its explanations and problem-definition processes. Additionally, this article proposes “the human-nature-society web” as an analytical framework to explain social conditions in the Anthropocene at micro and macro levels. This proposed framework is applied to shed new light on the concept of agency in social theory and to criticize the neglect of the notion of nature in shaping the agency. It also serves to underline the constructive power of nature in society in three significant areas of institutional arrangement, risk, and technology.

Abstract The event of the epidemic of Covid-19 had a massive shock to the borders of the order of Iranian everyday life. The emergence of death and disease from the Covid-19 put Iran in an exception state. Universities and schools were shut down and people went to lockdown. Also, the event of the epidemic of Covid-19 led to other events such as quarantine and it caused economic, mental, and family crises. The crucial event of the epidemic of Covid-19 was coincident with the traditional ceremony of Iranian New Year accompanied by shopping, traveling, and visiting families. But all of them were destroyed. By shutting down the city and the necessity of not coming together, digital geography was the most important space for retrieval of relationships and people could share their emotions of fear and anxiety and they make an emotional connection. Thus, one of the most important emotions which were shared in virtual social networks included nostalgia about the time before the epidemic of Covid-19 in Iran and dreaming the coming future. Then by applying a multidisciplinary approach through digital cultural studies and visual studies, the main object of the article is to analyze how emotions of nostalgia and dreaming of Iranian people were expressed on Instagram and Facebook. Consequently, remembering the city as a lost secure home and thinking of a vague future as dreaming indicates of getting stuck in the present time of the field of the event. 

Abstract Sadegh Hedayat, a contemporary name-writer who achieved fame by presenting a novel way in fiction, relying on biological anthropology to retain his unique content, a collection of essays such as: Myths of Creation" Fathers of Man”, “Turkish Salt”, and “Darkroom” can be counted among them. Biological anthropology is one of the important branches of anthropological knowledge that examines the evolutionary structure of mankind. A few of his works contain some of the ideas of biological anthropology that, with their retrieval, can be found in the heritage of the survival of this knowledge. There are two documentary works that show the sources of guidance in this branch of anthropology. “The human and animal”,  and “Benefits of vegetarianism”, which can be inferred from the depth of his studies in this field. The present study intends to study the capacity of these works from the point of view of biological anthropology and the extent of its services to recognize this knowledge in Iran.

Abstract Obviously, development is the outcome of culture, and the consideration of a developed society is impossible if its culture does not support development. Culture plays an important role in companies' competitiveness and productivity through shaping the organizational behavior pattern and norms. On the other hand, the level of country or region development depends on the competitiveness of its companies, especially small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this study is to investigate the cultural reasons of small share of Iranian SMEs in the market and their low competitiveness and productivity. Therefore, relationship between the productivity of active SMEs in Yazd textile industry and their employers’ culture was explored using Edgar Shine's "clinical approach" (2004) and Sariolghalam theory (2003). Pearson correlation test showed that there is not a statistically significant relationship between the productivity of these SMEs and their employers' culture. However, employers' interviews revealed that Lack of economic stability, prevalent smuggling of textile products, promotion of anti-employer mentality and misguided policies have an adverse effect on the behavior of customers and suppliers and render it impossible for the employer to make forecasts and calculations for running and developing the business.

Abstract Our concern is with the image of the west in the first Iranian travelogues. How Elements which shape the west image in these travelogues are assembled? Where is their origin? How they interact with each other and were narrated? The contemporary image of the west is an over-determined and dreamlike image-narration. By relying on concepts such as over determination, different histories, elements, and moments, we try to suggest an interpretation about the structure of west narration in primary Iranian travelogues. Our research suggests the idea of the west, in mystical and Sufi doctrine, represents a sequence of association: material-body-darkness-descend-temptation-guilt-accident. The idea of the east associates the opposite side of sequence: sprit-gust-light-ascend-certainty-virtue-essence. These sequences of associations are preconditions of visibility which the first travelogues experience the geopolitical west. Our research about the origins of the narrative structure of travelogues about the west suggests that synthesis of the colonial and the mystical thoughts create a special narration about the east-west relation. East is the ascending arc and west is the descending arc. This image of east-west relation is one of the main assumptions of orientalism.