Discourse Analysis of Social Justice Policies in Post-Revolutionary Iran

Abstract:The article aims to analyze the discursive transformations of social justice to realize social welfare during five successive administrations in the Islamic Republic of Iran from 1981 to 2021. It analyzes institutional texts and official speeches by the presidents of each administration based on the discourse analysis method of Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe. The findings demonstrate that each government differently articulated the signifier of justice in its social policies. However, the central signification was tied to ‘poverty eradication’ in all five administrations. However, social justice was not considered a comprehensive discourse nor an inclusive strategic process, but rather was defined discursively by each government as a government-oriented project in a short-term perspective, mainly by reducing social justice to economic growth and redistribution of resources. Finally, according to the comprehensive discourse of the Islamic Revolution, I suggest the need to redefine social justice as the aim of realizing social welfare in Iranian society with regard to the comprehensive, multi-dimensional definition of justice which include: (1) equal access to resources and opportunities by providing backgrounds, range and scope for such opportunities; (2) considering the principle of entitlement and necessities; and (3) attention to redistributive justice and expansion of the government’s sup portive umbrella by focusing on the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups (social, physical and mental).Key Words: Discourse analysisIranSocial JusticeSocial SecurityWelfare AcknowledgmentsThe author would like to thank all colleagues who helped me in various way while I was writing this article, especially Prof. Mostafa Azkia and Pezhman Barkhordari, a PhD student of sociology at Kharazmi University in Tehran.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 Gholam Abbas Tavasoli (Citation2003) In Search of Social Politics in Islam, Social Welfare Magazine, 10 (3), p. 81.2 Charities.3 It is a form of almsgiving often collected by the Muslims. It is considered a religious obligation for those who meet the necessary criteria of wealth to help the needy.4 Literally ‘one fifth’. In Islam it refers to the required religious obligation of any Muslim to pay 20 percent of their acquired wealth from certain sources toward specified causes.5 It is the financial compensation paid to the victim or heirs of a victim in the cases of murder, bodily harm or property damage by mistake.6 Jafar HezarJarribi & Reza Safari Shali (Citation2013) Discourse on Justice in the Bills of the Post-Islamic Development Program, Emphasizing Poverty Reduction and Deprivation, Journal of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabatabaei University. 20(61), p.1.7 Friedrich A. Hayek (1978) The Constitution of Liberty (The University of Chicago Press).8 Reza Safari Shali (Citation2013) Review of the Discourse of Social Justice in Post-Islamic Revolutionary State of Iran, Doctoral Dissertation, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran, p. 84.9 John Rawls (Citation1999) The Law of Peoples (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press).10 Tony Fitzpatrick (Citation2001) Theory of Welfare (What is Social Policy, translated by Hormoz Homayounpour, (Tehran: Research Institute of Social Security, Gam-e-now Publications), p. 34.11 Robert Nozick (Citation1974) Anarchy, State, and Utopia (New York: Basic Books).12 Andrew Hewood (Citation2004) Introduction to Political Theory, trans. into Persian by Abdolrahman Alem (Tehran, Ghomes Publications), p. 441.13 Morteza Gharabaghian (Citation2007) Growth and Development Economics 8th ed. (Tehran: Ney Publications).14 David Howarth, et al (2000) Discourse and political analysis: Identities, hegemonies and social change (Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press).15 Ernesto Laclau & Chantal Mouffe (1985) Post- Marxism without Apologies, in New Left Review, p. 105.16 Marianne Jorgensen & Louise Phillips (2010) Theory and Method in Discourse Analysis, translated into Persian by Hadi Jalili (Tehran: Ney Publication).17 Howarth, et al (2000) Discourse and political analysis.18 Ibid.19 Marianne Jorgensen & Louise Phillips (2010) Theory and Method in Discourse Analysis, translated into Persian by Hadi Jalili (Tehran: Ney Publication).20 Before 1989, the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran stipulated the that head of government was the Prime Minister, nominated by the President and approved by the Parliament.21 Jafar HezarJarribi & Reza Safari Shali (Citation2013) Discourse on Justice in the Bills of the Post-Islamic Development Program, Emphasizing Poverty Reduction and Deprivation, Journal of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabatabaei University. 20(61), p.1.22 Ibid.23 Leader of the Reconstruction24 Mehran Kamrava and Manochehr Dorraj (2008) Iran Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Islamic Republic (London: Greenwood Press).25 Tara Povey (2019) Reformism, Economic Liberalization and Popular Mobilization in Iran, Middle East Critique, DOI: 10.1080/19436149.2019.166475726 Mohamad Khatami (Citation2000) Selection of Presidential Speeches on Political Development, Economic Development and Security (Tehran: Tarh-e now Publications).27 Conservatives or traditionalists sometimes refer to themselves as ‘principlists,’ i.e., adhering to the principles of the revolution as they ‘believe in velayat-e faqih, or the supreme rule of a religious jurist.28 Associated Press. Archived from the original; accessed March 7, 2010.29 The Mehr Housing Project was implemented in 30 provinces of Iran. Its purpose was to house low-income groups, according to which the government tried to encourage house building by giving free plots of land.30 https://www.irna.ir/news/82745976/31 Rahim, Zayerkabe et al (2020) Analysis of the sociological contexts of the evolution of the discourse of justice in the governments of Khatami, Ahmadinejad and Rouhani, Two Quarterly Journals of Economic Sociology and Development, 9th year, 2nd issue, pp. 127–149.