Editorial

Oral History of State: Importance and Function

In the politics, state is considered as the main and concentrated apparatus of power, and most of authors use concepts of “state” and “government” in the same meaning. Regardless of various and fashionable definitions on this phenomenon, which is sometimes called bureaucracy, having a short review of the history shows that Iranian society identified the concept of state in the modern form from the middle of Qajar Period, and experienced the modern state through the Constitutional movement.

Is Oral History an Art?

In raising this question, Professor Motahari says: "History books have two flaws. One is that most historians were hired by the powers of the time, so they wrote history in their favor. Second, the historians had a national, religious or any other bias that wrote the events according to their beliefs, without writing lies. It is like drawing only beauties or only ugliness when drawing a face; this face is not true.

Privacy and Its Niceties in Oral History

Privacy in the process of recording and publishing memories is an issue that has attracted attention of activists in this field and those interested in legal issues in recent years with the expansion of activities of memoirist individuals and groups. Oral history interviews include close and personal relationships between interviewers, narrators and their organizational sponsors. This relationship is important for all groups. Interviewers feel an obligation to the people who have allowed ...

The Narrator of Collective Memoirs and Away from Useless Political Tensions

Seyyed Mahmoud Doaei, a calm and humble figure in the field of media, passed away at the age of 81 after several decades of cultural and political activity. From a young age and studying in the seminary of Qom, he joined the clergy movement and from the middle of the 1340s, by migrating to the city of Najaf, he became one of Imam Khomeinis close associates. In Iran, he collaborated with some secret publications, ...

Spring Poems

The Right Thought Is That Which Opens a Way

Nature, in the path of perfection and renewal, reached spring and immersed humans in hope and joy. Thinkers who close their eyes to the material world and open their eyes to The Beloved; look at the truth of existence and empties the soul of thinking about the body to be worthy of divine gift, and see the world as an opportunity for being an approach to The Creator.

What Does the Oral History Method Effect on "Changing the Narrative" of War?

The present remark is written on the assumption that the narrative of the Iran-Iraq war is changing. As it is obvious, written history also has an effect on changing the narrative of war according to the mentioned premise, but the subject of study is the effect of the oral history method will be mentioned in the following. Based on the above assumption, the question is: What does the use of the oral history ...

Censorship in Presses

Censorship of the Press in the Memoirs of Journalists of the Pahlavi Period

In the history of the Pahlavi period press, the memoirs of journalists could not be ignored and can be found in various sources. Journalists have mentioned several issues in their memoirs, one of which is the censorship in the press of that time. There are many sayings and writings in this regard. At the present we have taken a look at some of the memoirs which refer to the story of press censorship.

For Spring

The Devotee of Spring Stays Alive

With the arrival of spring and the beginning of Farvardin, the previous year turns to the memories and becomes a part of history with all its joys and sorrows. Reflection on spring is reminiscent of the truths of existence and human existence is the bedrock of perceiving it; as if the Creator of the universe created human to understand these truths. The change of seasons from spring to winter and the re-emergence of spring are associated with human life.

A Critique on the Oral History of War; Reviewing an Interview

Following the decision of the Sacred Defense Documentation and Research Center to interview with war commanders under the title "Oral History of Commanders", designed and implemented by the late Dr. Ardestani, I have steadily studied and written various notes about the oral history, with respect to the importance of methodology. In Persian references, the oral history has been perceived and emphasized more by the validity of the oral methodology and its distinction ...

Oral History Potentials

Borrowing the words of Alessandro Portelli, the eminent oral historian, it can be said that the ghost of oral history has pervaded Iran. This raises the question of how this field of research has been able to penetrate all over our country so quickly. The spread of oral history may be seen in relation to the oral tradition rooted in the culture of our nation, but at this point, I do not want to talk about why the spread of oral history.
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Book Review

Kak-e Khak

The book “Kak-e Khak” is the narration of Mohammad Reza Ahmadi (Haj Habib), a commander in Kurdistan fronts. It has been published by Sarv-e Sorkh Publications in 500 copies in spring of 1400 (2022) and in 574 pages. Fatemeh Ghanbari has edited the book and the interview was conducted with the cooperation of Hossein Zahmatkesh.

Is oral history the words of people who have not been seen?

Some are of the view that oral history is useful because it is the words of people who have not been seen. It is meant by people who have not been seen, those who have not had any title or position. If we look at oral history from this point of view, it will be objected why the oral memories of famous people such as revolutionary leaders or war commanders are compiled.

Daily Notes of a Mother

Memories of Ashraf-al Sadat Sistani
They bring Javad's body in front of the house. His mother comes forward and says to lay him down and recite Ziarat Warith. His uncle recites Ziarat and then tells take him to the mosque which is in the middle of the street and pray the funeral prayer (Ṣalāt al-Janāzah) so that those who do not know what the funeral prayer is to learn it.

A Critique on Oral history of War Commanders

“Answering Historical Questions and Ambiguities Instead of Individual-Organizational Identification”
“Oral history of Commanders” is reviewed with the assumption that in the field of war historiography, applying this method is narrated in an advancing “new” way, with the aim of war historiography, emphasizing role of commanders in creation of its situations and details.