Iran: Cultural Values, Self images and Negotiation Behavior

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Iran: Cultural Values, Self-images and Negotiating Behaviorirreversible impasse with the reformists, and they seem to be wary of taking actionsthat may close the door to future compromise.Obstinacy (sar-sakhtii or khod-sari, literally hard-headedness or own headedness,loner or non-consulter) is perceived in Iranian political culture as a negative trait,insofar as it signifies irrational or non-pragmatic refusal to adapt to changingcircumstances or input of information. Such obstinacy or uncompromising behavior isalso a result of lack of forethought, and might even be regarded as irrational. 64 Thisconcept differs from the milder form of insistence (paafeshaari). 65 Thus, one who ispaaáfeshaar (insistent) is not being so without reason, and is aware of theramifications of his insistence. This insistence is intended to achieve part, if not all, ofone’s goals and intentions.AestheticismPride in Iran’s achievements in the realms of art and poetry are a central element ofthe Iranian national consciousness. Persian arts – whether Islamic or pre-Islamic – area treasured national heritage. This is an element that few observers would dispute,since Iran is arguably the most aesthetic civilization in the Middle East. Iranian artsand poetry enjoy a high level of social approval. This is highlighted by the generaladulation of the great Persian poets (Ferdowsi, Mowlana Jalal-ed-din Roumi, OmarKhayyam, Hafez) and artists, which has overcome even religious reservations(particularly in the present regime) regarding the seemingly heretic content of theirart. 66Persian artistic talent has been attributed to various anthropological or sociopsychologicaletiologies. Some have seen individualism as the fount of achievementsof Persian arts and sciences by virtue of the fact that individual creative personalitieswere encouraged by a cultural acceptance of individual idiosyncrasy. 67 Others haveclaimed that the Persians, having lived in their land from the dawn of history andnever having been nomads, appreciate the beauty of their land. The temperate climateand the soft landscapes engendered poetic souls. Unlike the Arabs who had to create aparadise that would serve as an escape from the unfriendly desert, the Persian couldimagine paradise in terms of his homeland.64 Sar-sakht literally means headstrong, willful. Sar-sakhti has rather critical and negative connotations,suggesting disrespect. One who is sarsakht does not really think much and is rather indifferent to hisown safety. It could also refer to someone who is brave, but whose courage is not combined withcontemplation. Sar-sakhti refers to conduct based upon deep conviction, whether religious belief orideology.65 From two words: paa, or foot, and feshaar, pressure. Paafeshaar implies that some thought has beengiven to the matter in question. When paafeshaari is used to signify insistence, this insistence does notemanate from religious or deep ideological convictions.66 It is enough to observe the modern Iranian adoration of epicurean (or even hedonistic) poets such asHafez, Roumi, and Omar Khayyam. The attempt to interpret their writings as reflections of Suffianalogies on divine themes is reminiscent of the Judeo-Christian attempt to give a religious hue to thebiblical "Song of Songs."67 Haas 118, 120.16
Self-Images and StereotypesChivalry and SpiritualityIranians today tend to characterize themselves as highly spiritual (rohani), incontrast to the materialistic West and Arab world. 68 Iranians see themselves as kind(mehraban), modest (foroutan), sensitive (motavaze’), empathic and warm-blooded(hassas, del-suz, khun-garm), 69 socially committed, open-handed (dast-o del-baaz),and loyal and constant (vafadaar). 70 These qualities are intimately linked with thepre-Islamic ethos of chivalry (javanmardi), which incorporates such qualities astrustworthiness, truthfulness, and honesty in business, integrity, a clear sense ofpurpose and identity, perseverance, personal courage, and purity. The javanmardam(chivalrous individual) is portrayed as an individualist par excellence, insofar as heobeys his inner compass and has no fear of standing alone against what he sees aswrong. He acts on his principles even at the peril of loosing his own property, anddefends the weak without regard for the risk to his self. 71 This ethos is held in suchhigh regard that the Imam ‘Ali himself is seen as the model of javanmardi. 72 Aninteresting anecdote which emphasizes this ideal is that of Mossadeq, who, defeatedand dying, heard a colleague say “how terrible it all turned out,” and answered him,“Yes, but at the same time, how marvelous it all turned out.” It is said that Mossadeqsaw himself playing out the roles of the Iranian paradigms of javanmardi: the battlinghero Rostam, the son of Zaal, the noble general Ali, the Lion of Allah and, at the sametime, the Imam Hussein, Prince of Martyrs. 73This model gave birth in Iran to two parallel paradigms. The most evident is that ofIranian mysticism as expressed in the Sufi movements and the dervish personality.The Iranian concept of spirituality is not of ascetism; Shiite Sufism is not ascetic ormonastic and, as pointed out above, the great Persian poets promoted enjoyment oflife coupled with awareness of its vicissitudes and the need not to fall captive to thevanities of this world. The dervish (darvish) in modern Iranian social typology is aspiritual man who realizes the vanities of material life, enjoys them, but does notallow his self to become enslaved to them. He allows himself to ignore social andhierarchical conventions (such as tœ'arof) and makes his spiritual well-beingcontingent on his material success. He is not a hermit or an ascetic in the Western orEast Asian sense. He may be completely involved in business or politics but perceivedby his colleagues as a dervish type. 74 In many movies as well as in best-selling novelsand magazines, there is an expressed aversion to anything ideological, and an68 Bateson 262.69 This is especially true about the younger generation. Dr. E. Pardo points out that in many movies, inmagazines, as well as in at least one best-selling novel , there is an expressed disgust of anythingideological, and a great interest in dealing with local problems and societal ills. There is a search forpacifism and a kind of existentialism – they want to live in the “here and now” with love, compassion,good food and music, and heal their wounds from an overly ideological period. The demand by thegovernment to sacrifice youth for nothing in the minefields of the war, and executions by therevolutionaries are open wounds. This fact, which is evident to the ruling clerics, stands in directcontradiction to the image of Iran which serves as the basis for their political strategies.70 Bateson 262.71 For a definition of javanmardam seeArasteh 26. For the Suffi link to the ancient Iranian concept, seethe site of the Nimutallahi Suffi order: .72 Bateson 263. The identification of the Imam ‘Ali as the “King of Javanmardi” appears frequently indiscussions of Iranian culture on the Usenet.73 Mottahadi 133.74 See Bateson 264–265.17
Page 1: The Interdisciplinary Center Herzli
Page 4 and 5: Iran: Cultural Values, Self-images
Page 6 and 7: Iran: Cultural Values, Self-images
Page 9 and 10: TABLE OF CONTENTSINTRODUCTION .....
Page 11 and 12: IntroductionIran holds a unique pla
Page 13 and 14: IntroductionCharacter,” “Minds,
Page 15 and 16: Self-Images and StereotypesNational
Page 17 and 18: Self-Images and StereotypesPriests,
Page 19 and 20: Self-Images and Stereotypesmythical
Page 21 and 22: Self-Images and Stereotypespersonal
Page 23 and 24: Self-Images and Stereotypescoalitio
Page 25: Self-Images and Stereotypeswhen he
Page 29 and 30: Self-Images and StereotypesBaqara w
Page 31 and 32: Self-Images and StereotypesThe Shah
Page 33 and 34: Self-Images and Stereotypesorder to
Page 35 and 36: Self-Images and Stereotypes(connect
Page 37 and 38: Communication and NegotiationOvervi
Page 39 and 40: Communication and Negotiationor del
Page 41 and 42: Speaking up, down and across status
Page 43 and 44: Communication and Negotiationorigin
Page 45 and 46: Communication and NegotiationAmbigu
Page 47 and 48: Negotiating BehaviorThe Role of the
Page 49 and 50: Communication and NegotiationPre-Ne
Page 51 and 52: Communication and NegotiationIt was
Page 53 and 54: Communication and NegotiationImplau
Page 55 and 56: SummaryIranian negotiating culture
Page 57 and 58: Reference ListCurzon, George N. Per
Page 59 and 60: Reference ListWestwood, Andrew. “
Page 61: post-negotiations, 44procrastinatio

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