People in the Discourses of Contemporary Iranian History

People has been a central signifier in the political discourses of contemporary history. Its fluid presence is such that it occupies a central position in all political schools and ideologies. The state, as the most important manifestation of historical institutions and the arena of political rationality, becomes meaningless without the people; thus, the people gain meaning only when a state exists and consequently a nation is formed. The last century of Islamic Iran’s history also witnesses the central role of this signifier in the discourses of social forces during the transformative processes from the Constitutional Revolution to the Islamic Revolution. Concepts and notions introduced from the cultural sphere of the West have played a significant role in the semantic evolution of the term “people” since the Constitutional Revolution, while also influencing the movement for self-recognition and redefinition of the people within tradition. These efforts coincided with the formation and establishment of the state, the parliament as an institution, and the relative realization of some constitutional principles. Accordingly, the people have appeared in various and even contradictory texts and discourses, reflecting theoretical and practical challenges in navigating the necessities and possibilities of the new era. Language has been the most important medium for representing, creating, and reproducing political ideals, witnessing transformations and relative diversity in ideology and expressions of power. Despite multiplicity and diversity, political language forms a comprehensive framework: a diverse and evolving constellation called the “Iranian political language” which has flowed through time. Within this language, “people” has been represented and manifested in various forms…