Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities

Over-determined image of the West in first Iranian travelogues

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

A. Heydari 1
A. Khodaei 2

1 Assistant Professor, Department of cultural studies, Faculty of human sciences, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran

2 M.A Graduated, Department of cultural studies, Faculty of human sciences, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22035/isih.2020.3373.3609
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.

Keywords

Over-determination
imagination
west-east
desire
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 25 May 2019
  • Revise Date 08 August 2019
  • Accept Date 23 September 2019

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