Dr. Seifzadeh opens up his presentation by boldly stating that he is against the concept of identity because it says something outside of the genuine self. He argues that the genuine self is defined by Irfan, meaning it is something eternal, infinite, and changing. He rejects the monolithic and exclusivist approach to any identity, let alone Iranian identity. Instead, he presents the concept of hoviyate pademani, or protocol identity, as a more inclusive way to attend to the multi-layered, multi-dimensional aspects of Iranian national identity.
Dr. Hossein Seifzadeh is a political scientist, international relations expert, and a retired academician. He received his M.A. in political science and international relations in Tehran and his post-doctorate from Harvard University. He served twice as a visiting professor at the Center of Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University and twice as a resident scholar at theMiddle East Institute, with his research focusing mainly on Iran’s domestic issues.
