The Other in the Mirror: Discursive Transformations in the Representation of Afghan Immigrants in Iranian Cinema

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Cultural Studies, Allameh Tabataba'i University

10.22059/jsal.2025.392852.666378

Abstract

This study presents a critical examination of the evolving cinematic representations of Afghan immigrants in Iranian cinema through an interdisciplinary analysis of eight seminal films produced between 1988 and 2018. Employing an innovative methodological framework that combines critical discourse analysis (CDA), cultural semiotics, and visual anthropology, the research maps the dynamic transformations in how Afghan immigrant identities have been constructed, contested, and renegotiated in Iranian film narratives.

The investigation reveals three distinct discursive phases in this thirty-year period: The late 1980s-1990s were characterized by narratives of heroic victimization, where Afghan characters were predominantly framed as noble sufferers within the context of Iran-Iraq war narratives. The 2000s witnessed a shift toward discourses of estrangement, marked by the symbolic distancing and "othering" of Afghan identities. Most remarkably, the 2010s saw the emergence of subtle resistance and self-representation, with Afghan characters gradually acquiring narrative agency.

The study makes two significant theoretical contributions: First, it introduces the concept of "Internal Diaspora Cinema" to describe the unique position of Afghan immigrants in Iranian cinema as both internal and external Others. Second, it proposes the "Paradoxical Representation Cycle" model, which captures the contradictory dynamics of simultaneous visibility and marginalization in minority representation.

Methodologically, this research breaks new ground by synthesizing close textual analysis with ethnographic insights, examining both cinematic texts and their reception contexts. The findings demonstrate that Iranian cinema has served as both a site of cultural hegemony and a platform for counter-discourses, where dominant representations are both reinforced and subverted.

These insights carry important implications for cultural policy, suggesting pathways for more equitable media representations that could foster improved intercultural understanding. The study also provides a transferable analytical framework for examining minority representations in other national cinemas facing similar challenges of migration and cultural diversity.

Keywords

References

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Sociology of Art and Literature
Volume 16, Issue 2
Autumn & winter 2025
July 2025
Pages 109-122

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