Anthropology of Political Defeat: the Iranian Left’s Experience of Defeat after the 1979 Revolution

The thesis examines the impact of defeat and repression on the lives of Iranian leftists and their loved ones after the 1979 revolution. The study utilized auto-ethnography and interviews as qualitative research methods. Findings indicated that Iranian society lacks a collective memory of the post-revolutionary period and the repressions experienced by leftists and their families. The research also revealed that individuals have fragmented memories of defeat, struggle to openly discuss their losses, and face challenges in recalling their failures. It was concluded that the left and their loved ones are only able to discuss the external effects of defeat, as societal silence and government manipulation, censorship, discrimination, and stigmatization have contributed to forced collective forgetfulness regarding the left. The data obtained can be utilized to analyze the current collective identity of Iranian society, particularly in relation to its memory of post-revolutionary events. Future research could explore collective trauma among other sectors of Iranian society and analyze the causes of hostility between different societal groups. The practical significance of this research lies in its potential application to the work of international and local human rights organizations, as well as its relevance to oriental studies, sociology, and history.