POLITICAL SCIENCE QUARTERLY
Year:2009 | Volume:- | Issue:8|Papers Count:11

The article is a study about astonishing world of mythology and epic, and tries to understand as it is considered in ancient Iran which is tightly linked with Persepolis political thought. Since the article is based on Rostam character, it has to review the most important existing source about Rostam which is Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh.The authors try to find the political roles and functions of the mythological hero, Rostam, in ancient Iran kingdom politics. Rostam, who has the most important presence in the epic part of Shahnameh, and in one word, is the centeral core of national epic; his name is mixed with power, security and kingship. Here we have used the theory of "myth function" as a theoretical basis, in or methodology, in addition to interpretation of shahnameh, we have been dependent on historical data in ancient Iran, and also applied the statistical method.Therefore, the article has followed a study which leads to analysis of symbols of power, security, freedom and crown giving of political character of Rostam.

Political psychology as one of the multidisciplinary area in political science has maintained its position in political studies in recent decades. This research area, which has began its presence by depending on psychoanalysis approaches in recent years has been successful by using other psychological methods, especially psychology of knowledge in studying political affairs and developments.In the meantime, political psychology has achieved better position both in theoretical studies in politics, psychology and history in the departments of American and European universities, and applied studies in decision making centers, such as state department and security institutions.Today, this area has been divided into different branches, like psychology of social changes, political psychology of mass media, decision making and political debates and finally, political psychology of leaders, The article is going to introduce political psychology of leaders as one of the oldest and most important tendency in this area study.

The article studies the relation between metaphysics and politics in Hegel’s philosophy. Hegel’s in his political philosophy and to sketch theory of civil society and modern state, applies the concepts of his metaphysical philosophy.Therefore, Hegel’s political philosophy is based on metaphysical principles. Hegel, by removing the wall between subject and object through his dialectical method finds out the solution of main problem of his philosophy and political philosophy. Hegel’s main philosophical problem is to solve the relation between definite and indefinite in his political philosophy, and finds out the solution of the relation between individual and the state.Hegel has explained the stages of metaphysical development and establishment of modern state and has indicated the unification of individual and the state by using his triad method of dialectics. These three dialectical moments or stages are included: First stage; thesis, family as a primary unity and whole, second stage: antithesis, civil society as a particular and a place of independent individual’s needs satisfaction and also a place of indefinite confrontation and tension and breakdown of primary unity; third stage, synthesis, and finally, the state as a secondary expanded unity in a higher level. Hegel, by distinguishing between civil society and the state, and realizing the independence of the state, prepares the necessary conditions for establishment of modern state.

Michel Foucault (1926-1984), who was one of the most influenced thinkers of our time, his absence was felt heavily in the intellectual sphere after his death in 1984. Fewer thinkers have had such a great influence in the fields of history, philosophy, literature, social sciences, and especially, psychology in twentieth century. His new view to the problem of power and knowledge, subjective and objective, epistemology and historical development and social roles of these concepts, which was a result of his impression of his predecessors, such as Marx, Nietzsche, Freud and Sartre, has shaken the foundation of political knowledge in the west and reshaped the critical thought into a new format which is independent of the political utopia and ideology.Foucault presented a new definition of power that indicates power is not something which is in the possession of particular person or group, but all of us are in the employ of power and power is in everywhere. Therefore, we should not search power only in its formal forms (state, government), because, power exists in smallest parts of society and in most delicate human relations (micro physics of power). Some critics believe that Foucault has presented a comprehensive concept of power, therefore, if power is everywhere, then, its presence or absence makes no difference and basically, resistance to power would be impossible.The aim of this essay is to prove otherwise than above statement and to realize the emancipatory possibilities and resistance capacities in Foucault’s life and his works.

The article is the second part of an essay which its first part, as titled "The First Generation’s Understanding of Political Modernity" was published before in this Quarterly (No.6, Summer 2007). In this part, a generation of Iranian intellectuals are studied who rised after constitutional revolution of Iran, and confronted with a complexity which was due to their predecessors ideas and therefore they could not cope with it. They were encountering with internal and external crises and need a sort of identity, especially in regard to foreign crisis. They obtained it in a cultural nationalism that acquired its authenticity from ancient Iran.In regard to internal crisis, the problems of welfare and security were among prorities, and therefore, the matter of political modernity was suspended and finally the will to it was reflected in Reza Shah’s enlightened absolutism. These two aspects formed the Iranian intellectual’s ideology in this period. But, where as the results of this ideology could not answer the complexities of modern time and solve the social and political problems of transitional period, therefore, there appeared a deadlock which as its consequence led to negation of modernity and tendency to originality.

Economical diplomacy is a subject that was set forth basically after Cold War period and during the extension of globalization process and today is regarded as one of the new efficient and powerful instruments of international action beside traditional diplomacy.The main reason for forming economical diplomacy is based upon the deficiencies of traditional diplomacy in realization of foreign policy goals and to achieve the interests of governmental and non-governmental actors in international sphere in the framework of increasing multi-dimensional interactions of global economy.Resorting to traditional diplomacy on the basis of simple pattern of bilateral or multilateral interactions between states and assuming the superiority of politics over economics, cannot achieve the interests of international actors in the time of globalization. In globalization time, economy has got an increasing importance and many governmental and non-governmental actors have entered into diplomatic scene; a phenomenon which has been hidden from the view of traditional diplomacy. In such an atmosphere, the effort of international actors was mainly spent to achieve a better position in global economy, which implies fair use of diplomatic techniques in the way of increasing opportunities in the field of foreign capital attraction, technology transfer, exports of services and expansion of foreign trade, access to global market and to maintain their interests in front of global economy challenges. Economic diplomacy is regarded as an instrument to achieve maximum interests of governmental and non- governmental actors and planners in the globalization era. In this regard, Islamic Republic of Iran has attempted to combine internal and external elements in order to step forward to develop economic diplomacy as a process to complete traditional diplomacy. In recent years, European Union, as a trade partner, has been regarded the goal of extending economic diplomacy by Islamic Republic of Iran.

Islamic world is standing at a serious moment of its history now. Safe transition through such a hasty time implies to understand present realities. To know the new situation requires leaving behind all prejudices, ideological judgements and mind idols and dependency on realities alone. Present conditions in Islamic world necessitated foundamental changes both in theory and practice in order to acquire a suitable and deserving place in international scene. The history, civilization, wealth, population and potential power of Islamic world do not correspond to the status quo.Therefore, to launch a new suitable strategy in the beginning of the third millennium is an avoidable necessity. Without such a strategy, the Islamic world would not be able to play its role in international level.To launch the relevant strategies by Islamic world enables it to mobilize its national and international resources in a way which improves its powerful role in international sphere.The article attempts to examine the preconditions as well as the necessities and implications of a strategic planning in Islamic world in the beginning of the third millennium.

The article examines three competitive hypothesis in regard to the assumption that; in changing international security, the actors, armaments and new sources of threat are effective to international security, therefore, to measure the effects of these variables would ease our understanding of such a development on the concept of international security at the time of globalization.The first hypothesis states that, multinational companies, international institutions and organizations, and also individuals are among new actors in global scene.The second hypothesis explains that, whereas the traditional threats to international security were mainly to use force and resort to conventional military means, but today, the dimensions of these threats have changed into non-military actions, including political, social, economic and ecological, such as terrorist attacks, virtual terrorism (digital attacks).The third hypothesis indicates that, the expansion of massacre weapons, including nuclear, biological and chemical, not only have not increased the security of states and international system, but in reality, have made more serious threats to international security.To review the data based on the aboved three hypothesis, indicates that, instead of diversity and plurality of actors, expansion of massacre weapons and arising of new recourses of threats to international security, war as a political instrument in relations between states has been abolished.Increasing economic benefit of peace and mutual dependencies among states have replaced the move towards democratic peace as a security strategy. As a result, security studies on the basis of traditional approach has lost its importance and new security studies are followed on the basis of Copenhagen School which studies security in the framework of economic security, ecologic security, social security and human development, rather than, military security.

European Union under various motives has attempted to expand her political relations with Islamic republic of Iran. Some of these motives are as followed: to improve economic and energy relations, to increase amount of investment, to influence Middle East through Iran to effect peace process in Middle East, to oppose terrorism and fundamentalism, to prevent the extension of mass destruction arms, and finally to replace American unilateral system by European multilateral relations.In the same way, Islamic Republic of Iran follows her different political and economic goals too, relating European Union: to enjoy European political, economical and international influence in order to confront and solve international crisis, to attract European investment, new technology and knowledge, to benefit European political and economical power encountering the United States political and economic pressures, especially in subject of Iran nuclear programme.Despite the fact, Islamic Republic relations with European Union have always been fluctuating between convergence and divergence.The author’s hypothesis is examining the identical and ideological diverse as the main cause in this regard. Therefore, the theoretical explanation follows in this direction.

Ismalic Fatimid caliphate was founded in 297 by Obeidollah mahdi in north of Africa and west of Abasid caliphate. They were new power in struggling with Abasid in the field of dipolmacy and military simultaneously. They destroyed Akhshidis and Aghlabis and tried to extend their relationships with Samanid, Ghaznavid and Ale-Bouyeh. They founded Davat organization for destroying Abasid. They had a kind of struggle with Salajegheh in Baghdad.In this research, researcher tries to study about the relationships between Fatimid and Abasid.