Ethnicity and Identities in Iran: Progress and Equality

Abstract

With worldwide progress, development and diversification come tensions between individual, local, national and global identities, and the fight for equality and justice and against discrimination for all peoples. Iran is no different, but little has been written about the historical, current and future identities of Iran’s ethnic groups. This study looks at the Azeris, Kurds, Arabs and Baloch alongside the Persian ethnic identity, which is predominant in modern Iran and which many claim is upheld politically and socially as the ideal for a future, collective Iranian ethnic identity, promoting discrimination against different ethnic identities. The study used grounded theory to conduct and analyse in-depth questionnaires across 13 Iranian provinces in relation to religious, local and national identities; inter-ethnic cultural borders; hindrances to progressive movements; the purging of certain ethnic cultures; and possible steps to resolve crises. Some data in this article is extracted the author’s recently published book, From Border to Border: Comprehensive research study on identity and ethnicity in Iran. It presents practical steps to achieving stable, equitable and sustainable cultural, social, economic, legal and political conditions in Iran, based on the results of the questionnaires. Such steps include realising economic, socio-cultural and political justice and indiscriminate social welfare, promoting interethnic solidarity and justice in the media, separating the legal and political systems from religious and ethno-centric thought in acknowledgement of the diversity of religious identities in Iran, and implementing the pending articles of the Constitution.