The Framework of the International Conference on Humanities and Iranian Identity

(Approaches, Functions, Opportunities, Challenges, Pathology, Solutions, and Strategies)

Introduction:

Considering the comprehensive centrality of an institution as important as a university in the country's development, and the position of humanity majors among university fields of studies in providing and consolidating the cultural foundations of one society, humanities are the most justified reference to draw the edges of one collective identity and establish the components of a national spirit.

From a civilizational viewpoint, the exclusive and irreplaceable mission of this major is to monitor the mild and permanent changes in the features of identity, in the middle of uncontrollable global variables and evaluate the effectiveness of these changes and their roles in strengthening or transforming the collective identity.

Regarding the above, the Iranian Identity and Lifestyle Research Center of Shiraz University has dedicated its second biennial international conference - in May 2025 - to "Humanities and Iranian Identity," within the framework of its comprehensive identity research project; Enabling humanities' elites to re-evaluate the existing approaches of humanity majors' role in drawing the identity of Iranians, the actual functions and opportunities available for these majors, as well as the challenges, pathology, and obstacles.

The conference is trying to build a space for discussion and the conflict of opinions for scholars to provide solutions for achieving a proper and ideal situation in the active, increasing, and strategic role-playing of humanities as they determine and consolidate the coordinates of the collective identity of Iranians to be in one coherent system with applicable tasks.

We hope that this effort captures the researchers’ attention and engage them in scholarly discussions with other elites of humanities, as identity is an effective topic in prompting and bringing to self-awareness collective concerns. It is also a tangible prospect to leave this subject with the firm hand of the most important institution, when after almost a hundred years it claims its right to take its position as the culture-creating leader and the origin of the country's transformations.

We must mention that the first international conference on the Identity of Iranians, held by the Research Center of Identity and Lifestyle of Iranians of Shiraz University: in 2024, regarding the necessity of evaluating and revising identity policies in general and forty years after the Islamic Revolution, focused on its first comprehensive framework, i.e., the theoretical foundations of the discussed topics (including theories, discourses, and elements that shape and consolidate the identity of Iranians) that were related to policies the discourses after of the Islamic Republic. The initial conference's title was: "Foundations, Patterns, Policies, and Evaluation on Iranian Identity," and required special committees, calls for articles, pre-sessions, and finally meetings for scholars, specialists, and expert activists, notable speakers in the fields of Islamic Hikmah, Law, and Identity Politics (especially on two challenging issues of Women and Youth Iranian), Sociology (focusing on the cultural discourse of the Islamic Revolution), Education, Literature, Art, History, and Archeology.

The valuable achievements of the first conference, the special articles, and the practical experiences of hosting the event, alongside the establishment of the Research Center of Identity and Lifestyle of Iranians of Shiraz University and its sub-research centers, are now countable pinpoints that support holding the second conference at a higher level. It is expected of the second International Conference to be more qualified and bring out more main problems so that functional discourses can have a brighter future regarding the crucial issues of the Identity of Iranians, with the support of the enriched culture of the university foundation, and its ability to construct the basis needs for establishments. The University, as a pioneer, is an example for other culture-based discourses and revaluation agents like the education system, national broadcasting, and virtual space.


The Goals of the International Conference of Humanities and the Identity of Iranians:

Considering all that has been said and to fulfil the prior purposes of the research institute's comprehensive framework, the specific goals of the international humanities conference and the identity of Iranians are as follows:

1) Examining and evaluating the educational capacities of humanity majors and their role in the identity of Iranians.

2) Investigating and evaluating the research capacities of humanity majors and their role in drawing the identity of Iranians.

3) Studying and evaluating humanity majors' discourse potential on Iranian Identity at an international level.

4) Investigating and evaluating the capacities of interaction and effectiveness of humanity majors on other culture-inventor institutions -specifically, the three major institutions: Education, broadcasting, and cyberspace- and Iranian identity.

The axes of this international conference on humanities and the Identity of Iranians (Approaches, Functions, Opportunities, Challenges, Pathology, Solutions, and Strategies):



A) The main axes of the conference:

1) The relationship between humanities and intellectual-cultural foundations of Iranian Identity

2) The relationship between humanities and the religious-civilizational Identity of Iranians

3) The relationship between humanities and the ancient and historical Identity of Iranians

4) The relationship between humanities and the linguistic and literary Identity of Iranians

5) The relationship between humanities and the national Identity of Iranians

6) The relationship between humanities and the epic identity of Iranians

7) The relationship of humanities covering Iranian women and Family Identity

8) The relationship between humanities and the lifestyle of Iranians

9) The relationship between humanities and Iranian artistic and architectural Identity

10) The relationship between humanities and psychological-educational extents of Iranian Identity

11) The relationship between humanities and social aspects of Iranian Identity



b) The sub-categories of the conference:

The capacity and relation of each humanity major with the mentioned axes regarding Iranians' Identity and education, research, discourse creation, interaction, and influence:

1) Educational Capacities of each Major:

- Title and objectives of the course

- Course textbooks

- Course Titles

- The method of teaching and transferring concepts; Pedagogy

- The role of new educational technologies in the field

- Educational museums of the field

2) Research Capacities of each Major:

- Theses and treatises

- Research projects

- Conferences and scientific meetings

- Scientific research and scientific-specialist journals

- Specialized books

- Translating specialized texts

- Revival of Iranian heritage related to the field of study

- Research institutes and research centers

- Study opportunities

- Theorization Chairs

- National awards for the field of study



3) Discourse Capacities of each Major at an International Level:

- The status of the major in the academic world and international cultural relations of the field of study

- The research status of the major in the academic world and international cultural traditions and costumes

- The status of the major, facing the viewpoint of the Orientalists and Iranian Identity

4) Discourse-making Capacities (Interaction and Effectiveness) of each Major at a National Level:

4-1) Educational institutions:

- The Ministry of Education

- Universities

- Islamic Seminaries

4-2) Cultural Institutions:

- Mosques

- Culture Centers

- People's Cultural Foundation

- Islamic Development Organization

- Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance

4-3) Media Institutions:

- Radio

- Press

- Social networks

- Ta'zia and Performing Arts

- Cinema and Theater

- Farsi language networks abroad

4-4) Religions, Madhhab, and Cults:

- Sufism

- Sunnism

- Ismaili

- Zaydism 

- Sabianism (Mandaeism)

- Armenians

- Jews

- Zoroastrians

4-5) National-Religious Days:

- Nowruz

- Ghadir Khumm

- Ashura



Organizers of the International Conference on Humanities and Iranian Identity:



Chairman and Scientific Secretary of the Conference: Dr. Shokrollah Khakrand (Head of the Iranian Identity and Lifestyle Research Center)

Executive Editors of the Conference: Dr. Sabura Haji Ali Orakpour (member of the faculty of Islamic Philosophy and Theology Department of Shiraz University) and Dr. Mahdi Hesampour (member of the faculty of Islamic Studies Department of Shiraz University)

Scientific Committee of the Conference:

- Nationally known humanity professors and specialists in the field of Iranian Identity, both academic and seminary

- Assistants and research directors of scientific centers sponsoring the conference

- The secretaries of the specialized committees of the conference.

Time and place of the Conference: 16-17 May 2025, Shiraz University

Policies to Improve the Quality of the Conference:

- numerous pre-sessions in different faculties of Shiraz University and other universities and research institutes and inviting top professors of the field

- Demanding articles from eminent professors

- Demanding books to eminent professors

- Supporting master theses and doctoral theses

- Signing a memorandum of understanding with at least two scientific research journals for scientific support and publishing the best articles of the conference

Conference schedule:

Conference Call: August 22

Deadline for abstracts: November 20

Deadline for articles: January 19

Announcing the results of accepted articles: February 18

Dr. Shokarollah Khakarand

Head of the Iranian Identity Research Center of Shiraz University and the Scientific Secretary of the Conference