Events
  • Public
  • Workshop/ Seminar/ Symposium

The Role of Ferdowsi and the Shahnameh in Shaping Iran’s National Identity in the Age of Digital Civil Society

Date
2025/12/05(Fri) 14:00-15:30
Venue
Online/301 : Seminar Room, ILCAA
On-site/Online
Hybrid
Language
English

Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh has often been regarded as more than a literary masterpiece, serving as a cornerstone in preserving and shaping a shared sense of Iranian identity that transcends linguistic, religious, and ethnic boundaries. This study explores how different segments of Iranian society—particularly Sunni Muslims and non-Muslim minorities—perceive Ferdowsi and his epic. For comparative purposes, the views of Shia Muslims, who constitute the majority in Iran, were also included. Based on a survey distributed on Persian Twitter and supplemented by responses from various communities, the findings reveal a broad consensus: Ferdowsi and the Shahnameh continue to function as unifying cultural symbols linking Iranians across regional and sectarian divides. More broadly, this demonstrates how literature can act as a cultural anchor, sustaining shared memory and identity. The Shahnameh thus remains both a literary monument and a living text shaping Iranian identity today.

Registration

  • Pre-registration is required by December 2nd, 2025
    For registration, please see here.

Programs

2025/12/05
 14:00 - 14:05IntroductionMostafa Khalili(ILCAA-TUFS)
 14:05 - 14:50The Role of Ferdowsi and the Shahnameh in Shaping Iran’s National Identity in the Age of Digital Civil SocietyDr. Arash Beidollahkhani(Global Development Institute, The University of Manchester)
 14:50 - 15:30Q&A

Contact

  • khalili[at]aa.tufs.ac.jp