Volume 16, Issue 3 (Quarterly Journal of Political Research in the Islamic World, Autumn 2026 2026)
Political Research In Islamic World (Priw) 2026, 16(3): 1-30 |
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jafarpoor R, akhzarian kashani M R. The Functions of Funeral Rites in Generating Social Capital and Soft Power: A Sociological Analysis of the National, Regional, and International Implications of the Funeral Ceremony for the Martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution. Political Research In Islamic World (Priw) 2026; 16 (3) :1-30
URL: http://priw.ir/article-1-2086-en.html
URL: http://priw.ir/article-1-2086-en.html
1- , rjafarpoor@yahoo.com
Abstract: (10 Views)
Abstract
The farewell, funeral, and burial ceremonies for the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, stand as one of the most significant social, political, and cultural events in the Islamic world; held across the cities of Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad, the event transcended the scope of a mere mourning ritual. This study seeks to answer the question of what consequences this ceremony has had at the national, regional, and international levels, and how it can be analyzed within the theoretical framework of soft power? The research hypothesis posits that this ritual—by strengthening collective identity, cohesion, and social capital—has generated and bolstered the soft power of the Islamic Republic of Iran and, by leveraging public diplomacy capacities, has influenced public opinion as well as cultural and political dynamics at both regional and global levels. The research’s theoretical framework draws upon the theories of Collins, Durkheim, Bourdieu, Halbwachs, and Nye, and is grounded in a model of the identity reproduction cycle driven by strategic rituals—comprising rituals, the generation of collective emotional energy, the creation of social and symbolic capital, the reproduction of collective memory and identity, the transformation of identity into soft power, and the reproduction of rituals. This research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and drew upon library resources, documents, scholarly articles, reports, and credible media analyses. Research findings indicate that, in addition to strengthening national cohesion, this ceremony has played a significant role in enhancing symbolic capital, expanding public diplomacy, and boosting the soft power capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the regional and international arenas.
The farewell, funeral, and burial ceremonies for the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, stand as one of the most significant social, political, and cultural events in the Islamic world; held across the cities of Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad, the event transcended the scope of a mere mourning ritual. This study seeks to answer the question of what consequences this ceremony has had at the national, regional, and international levels, and how it can be analyzed within the theoretical framework of soft power? The research hypothesis posits that this ritual—by strengthening collective identity, cohesion, and social capital—has generated and bolstered the soft power of the Islamic Republic of Iran and, by leveraging public diplomacy capacities, has influenced public opinion as well as cultural and political dynamics at both regional and global levels. The research’s theoretical framework draws upon the theories of Collins, Durkheim, Bourdieu, Halbwachs, and Nye, and is grounded in a model of the identity reproduction cycle driven by strategic rituals—comprising rituals, the generation of collective emotional energy, the creation of social and symbolic capital, the reproduction of collective memory and identity, the transformation of identity into soft power, and the reproduction of rituals. This research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and drew upon library resources, documents, scholarly articles, reports, and credible media analyses. Research findings indicate that, in addition to strengthening national cohesion, this ceremony has played a significant role in enhancing symbolic capital, expanding public diplomacy, and boosting the soft power capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the regional and international arenas.
Keywords: : Funeral procession, Martyr Ayatollah Khamenei, soft power, social capital, collective rituals, public diplomacy, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/06/17 | Accepted: 2026/10/13 | Published: 2026/10/13
Received: 2026/06/17 | Accepted: 2026/10/13 | Published: 2026/10/13
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