Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities

Abstract In today’s rapidly evolving academic landscape, the emergence of new sciences necessitates a reevaluation of classic theories and concepts through an interdisciplinary lens. One notable field making waves is cognitive science, which offers compelling theories and insights into the workings of the mind and cognitive processes. This has prompted scholars interested in the interplay between cognition and culture to critically assess the contributions of cognitive studies to our understanding of social and cultural phenomena. Among the disciplines affected are the social sciences, particularly sociology. Over the past few decades, sociologists have sought to revise their foundational concepts and theories in light of findings from cognitive science, especially those from cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists. This has led to the establishment of a new interdisciplinary field known as cognitive sociology. However, like any emerging discipline, cognitive sociology grapples with internal tensions stemming from differing perspectives. This article aims to explore the historical approaches and traditions within this nascent field using an analytical-descriptive method. It will demonstrate how adopting a balanced perspective between strong and weak interpretations of the relationship between culture and cognition can foster a productive and synergistic dialogue between sociology and cognitive sciences, ultimately enriching the field of cognitive sociology.

Abstract This Article was conducted with an interdisciplinary approach, aiming to conceptualize the idea of hope for the future. The study used a qualitative methodology based on data-driven theory-building, employing in-depth interviews and theoretical sampling with 13 professors and experts in the fields of political sociology, social psychology, and social policy from Allameh Tabatabai University and the University of Tehran. After theoretical saturation, the interview texts were analyzed using MAXQDA10 qualitative data analysis software, employing open, axial, and selective coding methods. The results from open and axial coding led to the identification of 87 concepts and 15 core categories. Additionally, the selective coding revealed that the core category of the concept of Feelings of social instability and uncertain prospects is influenced by causal conditions (Disappointment with policies and social institutions; comparison and lack of hope in the political system’s achievements; public anger towards injustice; fragmentation of public opinion), as well as contextual conditions (Negative collective experiences of economic crises; age) and intervening conditions (individual, value, and social identity changes; identity formation through new media) leading to consequences such as: reevaluation of the meaning of life and the emergence of protest behavior. Strategies and measures to address these consequences, such as (adjusting expectations and demands with the capacities of the existing government; planning to manage public opinion; representation of unity between officials and the masses; representation of a faithful lifestyle; maintaining balance in domestic and foreign policies), are proposed from the perspective of academic elites.

Abstract Debates surrounding memory narratives have become a crucial component of politics, diplomacy, and the global cultural and political system, shaping part of the political and emotional economy of the contemporary world. The "memory turn" has correspondingly heightened attention to memory policymaking as the organization of collective memory by governments and political actors. This article, rooted in an interdisciplinary tradition, provides an overview of memory policy strategies and elaborates on the key concepts and components associated with this type of policymaking (particularly in the context of national calendars). It aims to propose a conceptual model for understanding the interactions between various levels and elements involved in this process. According to this model, memory regimes and their related policies are influenced by four levels:

Supranational (Global Memory): Addressing international influences on collective memory.

Macro (Structural and Historical Constraints): Examining overarching historical and systemic challenges.

Meso (Cultural Variations and Divides): Considering regional or cultural diversities and tensions.

Micro (Individual Interpretations and Choices): Focusing on personal agency and individual memory interpretations.

The intersection of these levels determines the priorities and orientations of memory policymaking. Maintaining balance across these components can reduce memory-related tensions while fostering cultural dynamism and stronger cohesion.

Abstract Climate change stands as one of the most critical environmental challenges of our time, with a global consensus on its significance. The complexity and multidimensional nature of this issue have led not only the natural sciences but also the humanities to engage with it. In other words, climate change can be regarded as one of the most prominent interdisciplinary subjects, requiring comprehensive analysis from the perspectives of various academic disciplines. Among the branches of the humanities, social sciences in general and communication studies in particular hold significant potential to contribute meaningfully to this discourse. The central question of this research is how communication studies can contribute to addressing the challenge of climate change. This study first examines the nature of climate change, its dimensions, and specifically climate justice. Subsequently, the role of communication and media in the context of climate change is discussed. A review of existing research in this field indicates that, in most developed countries, communication and media are widely recognized as key factors in both practical and academic engagements with climate change. However, in Iranian society, there has been no substantial attention to the relationship between media/communication and climate change at any level. Therefore, it is imperative to integrate climate communication into both academic research and practical applications.

Abstract Sensitive bowel syndrome is considered as one of the coaaaammon psychosomatic diseases in young and sometimes middle age groups, which has a psychological and simultaneously spiritual origin, while including physical symptoms and complications, especially in the digestive system. Considering paradigms, approaches, theories, and also, reviewing experimental studies conducted in the specialized field of sociology of mental illnesses, one confirms that factors and fields effective in the occurrence of sensitive bowel syndrome are beyond the absolute realm of clinical and psychiatric view and, conversely, shows its relevance to sociological and social psychological variables in different levels of social reality. The aim of this study is to discover the representative themes of the components and substrates related to the lived experience of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) among 25 men and women aged 19-45 years referring to gastroenterology clinics located in Tehran. Data collection has been done through application of in-depth and semi-structured interview technique while data mining has been performed on the basis of Moustakas method - under descriptive phenomenology. "Pre-illness lived contexts", "persistent physical distress", "complexity of diagnosis and difficulty of palliation", "established social and communication limitations", and "psychological difficulties following the illness" are the five final themes discovered related to various aspects of the IBS disease lived experience among the study informants. The aforementioned themes are second-hand constructs that have been abstracted in the form of moving from the realm of the concrete to the realm of the abstract, as well as following the coding of the interview data, multiple readings of the data, and subsequent revisions and adjustments of the themes. Criticizing Hegemonic medicalized exposure to illness, reducing of the dimensions and angles of the disease to its objective and physical aspect, and subsequently, neglecting the pervasive social, cultural and economic conditions and hardships in the anxious society form the main points of the conclusion of the article.

Abstract Diplomacy, the art of managing communication building and interactions, can be traced back to the earliest human social ecosystem. Complex challenges, along with fundamental changes in the nature of international relations, economics, and technology, with the agency of science and technology, have led to the development of a type of science-based interactions and communications known as science diplomacy. Understanding the paradigm of scientific diplomacy and its significance as an interdisciplinary research, this paper based on theoretical considerations, demonstrates an explanation of the theoretical approach of the Royal Society of Great Britain and the American Association for the Advancement of Science is presented in the form of three pillars: "Science in Diplomacy", "Science for Diplomacy", and "Diplomacy for Science". The paper aims to display ambiguity of the three pillars and its incapacity to include the emergence and increasing role of a large number of national actors and multinational corporations and technology giants, as well as the significant and vital development and progress in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) outside the control of national governments and international organizations, and other similar cases. Explaining science diplomacy in a complex and disrupted era in various fields, this article shows that this theoretical approach and other complementary theoretical approaches, such as the theoretical approach of Gluckman et al., lack serious explanation in the field of the mentioned missions, indicating the necessity for the development of   the approaches and explanatory reform. To elaborate the theoretical conceptualization of science diplomacy, this research studies the significance, objectives and reasons of SD within a descriptive methodology.