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Cultural and Scientific Decorations During the Qajar and Pahlavi Periods

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran,Tehran, Iran.

2 Ph.D. Candidate of History, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This study employs a historical-analytical approach, drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic capital and Max Weber’s concept of legitimate power, to explore the role of scientific medals and honors during Iran’s Qajar and Pahlavi periods. It posits that these honors were not merely tokens of recognition but strategic tools for reinforcing political power by identifying and elevating regime-aligned elites while marginalizing independent intellectuals. Findings show that, starting in the Qajar era with institutions like Dar al-Funun, medals became mechanisms for stabilizing the political order. In the Pahlavi period, this process was systematized through stricter regulations and the University of Tehran’s prominence, fostering a loyal elite structure. Bourdieu’s framework highlights how these honors deepened social and class distinctions, tying elites to power, while Weber’s perspective underscores their role in establishing rational-legal legitimacy and distinguishing social status. This dynamic strengthened the regime but also widened cultural and social divides, contributing to political upheavals like the Islamic Revolution. The study reveals how scientific medals, as symbolic capital, served to legitimize ruling systems and reproduce elite structures, offering new insights into the interplay of culture, science, and politics in modern Iranian history and emphasizing the need to reassess symbolic capital’s role in Iran’s historical-political studies

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References
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Historical Sciences Studies
Volume 17, Issue 2 - Serial Number 40
December 2025
Pages 239-262
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