Iran and the Shift Towards Nonviolence in Post-Revolutionary Generations

Non Violence 24 June 2026

One of the developments coinciding with the turn of the century in Iran that has shaped the society’s political culture and revolutionary discourse is the shift towards a non-violent method of political struggle, which is clearly seen in the mode of thought and behavior of post-revolutionary generations. This discourse aims at uniting diverse groups of people against the institution of velayat-e faqih through a conceptual appeal to human honor. Historical parallels may be seen in the way that the idea of a House of Justice (Edalat Khaneh) functioned during the Constitutional era as a central and unifying concept across diverse groups. This paper asseses how, at the threshold of a new century, Iran might achieve historical political change through non-violence, especially with reference to excluded and marginalized groups. This prospect is discussed with particular reference to Mohandas Gandhi and Judith Butler and especially engages strategic and philosophical views of non-violence from secular and radical perspectives.

Abbas Amanat

Abbas Amanat 24 June 2026

Abbas Amanat’s Profile in Iran Academia Website.

Arif Dirlik

Arif Dirlik 24 June 2026

Arif Dirlik’s (Turkish historian) Profile in Iran Academia Web of Sites.