International Relations Researches

International Relations Researches

The functions and discursive effects of parties in political institution-building with emphasis on Fairclough's discourse theory: A study of the Khatami and Ahmadinejad governments

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 1. PhD student, Department of Political Science - Political Sociology, Fars Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Fars, Iran 2. PhD student, Department of Political Science - Political Sociology, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad Universit
2 Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
10.22034/irr.2025.551287.2779
Abstract
The role of political party discourses in political institutionalization is a key factor in Iran's political development. This study aims to examine the functions and impacts of the discourses of reformist and principlist parties on political institutionalization during the Khatami (1997-2005) and Ahmadinejad (2005-2013) administrations, with an emphasis on Fairclough's critical discourse analysis theory. The research method is based on Fairclough's critical discourse analysis, which examines party discourses at three levels: text (linguistic features), interaction (processes of text production and interpretation), and context (social and political settings). The findings indicate that reformist parties during Khatami's era, by promoting democratic discourse and emphasizing concepts such as civic participation and pluralism, strengthened civil institutions like city councils and non-governmental organizations, but were weakened during Ahmadinejad's era due to legal restrictions. Conversely, principlist parties during Ahmadinejad's era, focusing on revolutionary and value-oriented discourse, reinforced governmental institutions such as the Basij and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. These differences stem from the distinct political objectives, social bases, and political cultures of the two periods. The study concludes that party discourses contribute to political institutionalization by reproducing or transforming political identities and power relations, but their success is highly dependent on social, political, and structural support. This analysis highlights the pivotal role of discourses in shaping institutional structures and Iran's political development.
Keywords

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