Ehsan Majidifard; Atiyeh Kamyabi Gol; Amin Majidifard
Abstract
Identity is defined through the comparison of oneself to the other and it is rooted in human beings' need to be different and distinguished from others. From a post-structualist viewpoint, identity is plural, dynamic and multi-dimensional and both individual and collective identities can be portrayed ...
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Identity is defined through the comparison of oneself to the other and it is rooted in human beings' need to be different and distinguished from others. From a post-structualist viewpoint, identity is plural, dynamic and multi-dimensional and both individual and collective identities can be portrayed through various medias. Social media, as the most prominent phenomenon of our era, not only provides a unique opportunity for people to share their thoughts and feelings, but also affects their lifestyles and worldviews. The present study, a qualitative analysis of big data, probes the discourse behind the representation of Iranian national identity in social media and specifically twitter. By probing the tweets, the study shows the discourses in which Iranians represent their identity. To find out the way Iranian twitter users redefine themselves and their national identity in their tweets, 6000 tweets were compiled in a 40-days period and were categorized based on their common features. Utilizing the discourse analysis and thematic analysis, the six elicited themes were categorized which include other-oreintation, self-escape, agent- orientation, self-victimizing, generalizing everyday behaviours, positive thinking, humiliating Iranian identity. Elaborating the themes, Iranians always regret their past civilization and behaviors, they humiliate themselves comparing the other nations and the last but not the least, their behaviors are inherently determined.
Mohammad Sajed Hashemi; Mohammad Hadi Homayoon
Abstract
The National Information Network (NIN) in Iran as the communication infrastructure of the national cyberspace is an ongoing project that has been a subject of media attention including some foreign media agencies in recent years. Since the media representations in this regard can be effective on public ...
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The National Information Network (NIN) in Iran as the communication infrastructure of the national cyberspace is an ongoing project that has been a subject of media attention including some foreign media agencies in recent years. Since the media representations in this regard can be effective on public opinion orientations about the nature of the national information network, the representation of the project in some Persian and non-persian overseas media that have been selected by theoretical sampling has been studied using qualitative content analysis. Accordingly key statements arised from the selected texts have been summarized as far as possible and analyzed as the themes. Finally, six categories and eleven sub-categories were derived from the themes. Main categories include: Ambiguity in relationship between national information network and global Internet; Iran’s Authoritarian and totalitarian approach to the cyberspase by establishing the national information network; Iran’s demagogic propaganda about the national information network; Public concern over the implementation of the project; Costly process of launching the project and financial corruption of its implementers; and Iran’s inability to launch the national information network because of some social barriers and consequences.
