The sociology of emotions of the protest action of Iranians on 28 December 2017

Abstract

ABSTRACT Emotions are an undeniable reality of human life. Many of the behaviours of individuals, as well as social movements and collective actions are driven by emotional stimuli. This article studies the emotional aspects of ‘The Protest of Iranians on 28 December 2017’ and focuses on the question ‘Why did the Iranians emotional protest turn into violence?’ Using the theoretical approach of ‘sociology of emotions’ and the ‘descriptive-analytical’ method, the hypothesis is that ‘the embedded backgrounds and interpretations, which led to generating disturbances and emotional reconsidering of citizens, nurtured anti-system emotions and, finally unfettered such angry emotions, the results of which brought about so many consequences’. Data were collected in three methods of documentary, observation and speech research. The findings show that the economic, social, political and cultural conditions in Iran have caused emotional transformation in part of the society so that the long-term emotional frameworks entailing the survival of the system such as loyalty, affection, and temperance were replaced by a new emotional system consisting of anger, hatred, aversion and alienation. Consequently, some people expressed their anger blatantly and were not worried about liberation being banned and anti-regime emotions because they had nothing to lose except breaking the chain of poverty and social exclusion.