Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities

Abstract Core concepts of the posthumanist turn—distributed agency, relationality, non-human individuality, assemblage—are usually presented as late twentieth-century Western conceptualizations. This paper argues that traces of these constructs appear as affective infrastructures in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh (4th century AH). A close reading of the Simorgh in Zal's upbringing, Rostam's symbiotic bond with Rakhsh, and Attar's Conference of the Birds shows that Persian epic contains an early articulation of posthumanism with deep effects on Iranians' affective infrastructures and resilience. Drawing on Latour, Haraway, and Bennett, I argue that heterogeneous human and non-human elements of Iranian epic display agency in various forms. The recent invocation of Rostam and the Simorgh as sources of resistance and national cohesion in war demonstrates the enduring vitality of premodern posthumanist frameworks in Iran. By reversing the temporal and geographical hierarchy of Western theory, the paper reveals diverse genealogies of posthumanist thought from a postcolonial perspective. Reading the Shahnameh as an independent theory opens new opportunities for Iranian cultural studies and for localizing posthumanist thought. The central claim is that attention to forgotten premodern, non-Western articulations of posthumanism, and to the living, affective subjectivity of the Shahnameh, is essential.

Abstract Focusing on the two novels Prince Ehtejab and The Neighbors, this study examines the role of dress in reflecting the class structures of Iranian society within these narratives. The principal aim of the research is to analyze how dress is employed to depict class differences, reinforce or contest social norms, and attain a deeper understanding of the structures of power within society. To examine the relationship among language, power, and social structures in the two novels, this study employs a critical discourse analysis approach. The findings reveal that dress is not merely a superficial element but a potent instrument for representing and critiquing class structures. In both novels, dress is deployed to differentiate among distinct social classes, reinforce social norms, and signal historical-social transformations. In Prince Ehtejab, for instance, attire clearly delineates the divide between the aristocracy and the subaltern classes, whereas in The Neighbors, dress functions as a symbol of poverty and deprivation. This study demonstrates that both novels, through dress, engage in the representation of existing socio-class structures, albeit with differing intensities and methods. Overall, the present study underscores the significance of dress as a symbolic instrument for a deeper understanding of the social and class structures within modern Persian literature.

Abstract Interdisciplinary research and education are legitimate only within a sphere that has affirmed the legitimacy of the modern age. One indication is a functional rupture with traditional forms of knowledge. The question is whether interdisciplinarity in Iran have fulfilled such a condition. It appears that two decades of interdisciplinary contributions in Iran still remain distant from the functions emerging from rupture. An examination of works that take interdisciplinarity itself as their subject, as well as works that discuss various subjects through an interdisciplinary approach, demonstrates that their authors maintain a continuity-oriented will toward tradition and the past. The resistance of Iranian writers and researchers to rupture with the past may be discussed under the category referred to as the secularization theorem. This theorem assumes that modern consciousness is the secularized form of ancient Christian or pagan consciousness. Iranian authors likewise, generally within the framework of the same theorem, seek to bring about an indigenous modernity through the rereading, transmission, and transformation of tradition. One sign of the failure of this mode of contribution is precisely the interdisciplinary arrangement of knowledge in Iran. Through a concise analysis of the secularization theorem by way of explaining the categories of substance/function and continuity/rupture, this article elucidates the pathology of continuity-oriented essentialism in the articles published in the Quarterly Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies. It then, by focusing on one rupture-oriented article among them, prepares the ground for further discussions. Without continuity being called into question, and without a will toward rupture from the essences of tradition, neither the disciplinary system of knowledge nor the interdisciplinary system can fulfill their proper function.

Abstract The concept of filial piety, as one of the foundational concepts of traditional Chinese thought, has long been a source of political and economic debate due to its conceptual ambiguity and multiple layers of meaning. Drawing on an interdisciplinary approach and employing the framework of Conceptual History, inspired by the work of Reinhart Koselleck, this study examines the following question: How did Wang Daiyu, in the context of the political and economic crises of the late Ming dynasty, understand economic life through the conceptual relationship between filial piety and its counter-concept, loyalty? The findings demonstrate that Wang Daiyu appropriated the Confucian concepts of filial piety and loyalty and incorporated them into Islamic religious discourse as well as the social and political life of Chinese Muslims. While he did not adopt every dimension of the Confucian understanding of filial piety, he reconfigured the relationship between these concepts by placing loyalty and obedience to God above obedience to the ruler and to one's parents. At the same time, he accepted the Confucian conception of political authority and the emperor's status as the "Son of Heaven." Like Confucian thinkers, Wang regarded the state, with the emperor at its apex, as responsible for regulating economic affairs and securing the livelihood and material welfare of the people. In his thought, therefore, filial piety was not merely an ethical virtue but also a fundamental politico-economic concept. His political-economic outlook substantially converged with the Confucian understanding of economic governance and with the broader premodern Chinese conception of the relationship between politics and the economy.

Abstract Art is one of the most dynamic domains of human life, yet artistic innovations do not share the same destiny: some attract temporary attention and disappear, while others become embedded in collective memory. Understanding the mechanisms behind this difference is particularly important in creative industries. Drawing upon institutional theory, this study investigates how innovative musical styles become institutionalized in contemporary Iran and why some innovations gain permanence while others are forgotten. The research adopts an interpretive qualitative approach using grounded theory within a multiple-case study design. Data were collected through archival sources and semi-structured interviews with members of eight innovative Iranian music groups, selected through purposive sampling with a snowball strategy, and analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding until theoretical saturation was achieved. Five major themes were identified: the organic emergence of innovation through artists' internal creative interactions; the formation of an initial niche audience through shared taste and informal channels; stylistic stabilization through authenticity and audience loyalty; negotiations for institutional support after audience consolidation; and the acceptance or rejection of that support. The findings demonstrate that audience formation precedes institutional endorsement and serves as a critical condition for the long-term survival of innovative musical styles. The study concludes that institutionalization in creative industries emerges through ongoing interactions among artists, audiences, and institutional actors rather than through formal legitimacy alone. The proposed model contributes to institutional theory by highlighting cultural identity, audience engagement, and adaptive institutional arrangements, with practical implications for artists, cultural entrepreneurs, and policymakers.

Abstract Water laws in Iran reflect dominant attitudes and ideologies of each historical period. Despite previous legal and historical research, a gap exists in systematic linguistic and discourse analysis of these texts. This study compares the "Water Nationalization Act" (1968) and the "Fair Water Distribution Act" (1982) using Appraisal Theory (Martin & White, 2005) to reveal their attitudinal and legitimation strategy differences. The corpus comprises both laws: the 1968 Act with 342 clauses and the 1982 Act with 217 clauses. Coding was based on three components: Attitude, Engagement, and Graduation. Reliability was 92% through recoding. Data were analyzed using a mixed quantitative-qualitative method. Both laws are state-centered, but legitimation strategies differ. The 1968 Act features negative emotions (unhappiness: 3.5%, insecurity: 3.2%) and administrative judgments, indicating coercive control. The 1982 Act shows increased positive emotions (security: 6.9%, desire: 6.4%) and socio-moral judgments. However, monoglossia rose from 4.1% to 9.2%, showing participation is defined under state supervision. Graduation components also increased, suggesting centralized management. The 1968 Act employs national ownership and coercive control, while the 1982 Act employs social justice and controlled participation for legitimation. The distinction between "institutional participation" and "discursive heteroglossia" reveals that increased participatory institutions do not necessarily mean discursive openness. Future research should extend this framework to other natural resource laws.