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The Struggle of Recognition and Dilemma of Minority Politics: The Case Study of Azerbaijani Turks in Iran
Abstract
Undoubtedly, the ongoing uprising in Iran is a women's revolution. This revolution started after the killing of Mahsa (Jina) Amini, a Kurdish woman in Tehran, by the so-called moral police and immediately spread to other regions and received support from many groups. The ongoing uprising in Iran can be understood as a manifestation of social movements and their ability to mobilize against social and political injustices. Nevertheless, this women's revolution has not completely divorced from the politics that shadows the national minority groups and the forms of oppression that marginalized groups have faced in Iran during the past hundred years. Drawing on Nancy Fraser's concept of "progressive recognition," it is crucial to examine the positionality of Azerbaijani Turks as a minority in Iran and how Turks have been treated in terms of recognition in this revolution. Fraser argues that recognition is vital in the context of struggles for justice, but it must be accompanied by efforts to address the underlying structural inequalities perpetuating marginalization. In this case, identity politics plays a critical role in the media representation of national groups. By examining cases such as Esra Pahani, Aylar Haqqi, and other Azerbaijanis killed during the revolution with a media representation lens, this analysis highlights the Persian mainstream media's differential treatment of national groups. This analysis illustrates how recognition operates in minority politics and is mediated through the media.
Discipline
Sociology
Geographic Area
Iran
Sub Area
None