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

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.

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主催・共催

Core Project (History and Area Studies); Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists Minorities (dis)engagement in the majority-led social movements (24K20991)

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• khalili[at]aa.tufs.ac.jp