The Dislocation of the Reformist Discourse and Its Social Depletion: An Analysis of Its Failures and the Future of a Form of Political Activism

Sharifi, Mohammad Reza,

doi:10.22034/fademo.2025.551339.1171

The Dislocation of the Reformist Discourse and Its Social Depletion: An Analysis of Its Failures and the Future of a Form of Political Activism

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Mohammad Reza, Sharifi

Independent Researcher/ Imam Khomeini and Islamic Revolution Research Institute

10.22034/fademo.2025.551339.1171

Abstract

revolutionary period. Over approximately two decades of political engagement, it was able to leverage its social, cultural, and political capital to become the most effective political force in the political arena of the Islamic Republic. Nevertheless, since the mid-2010s, the discursive power and mobilizing capacity of this discourse have significantly diminished, making its transformations a subject of scholarly inquiry.

In this article, drawing on several components of Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse analysis, an attempt has been made to examine the internal reasons for the dislocation and lack of consolidation of the reformist discourse. Using this theoretical framework and method, it is argued that the dislocation of the reformist discourse is primarily due to theoretical weaknesses and the continued evolution of its theorization over time. Moreover, based on these findings, this study seeks to outline the future of this discourse and predict plausible scenarios considering generational, gendered, environmental, and international developments.

Keywords

Reformism"؛ Discourse"؛ Laclau and Mouffe"؛ Dislocation"؛ Social Depletion"؛

"؛ Political Activism"

Subjects