Strategic Studies Quarterly

Abstract Blockchain technology has been one of the most emerging and one of the most politically challenging new information-communication technologies. The structure of the Blockchain is such that it can at least theoretically overshadow some of the functions and capabilities of governments and, as a result, challenge their legitimacy. This technology has features that can become a factor of legitimacy or at least reduce the crisis of legitimacy of states by further empowering governments or assisting in the processes of strengthening democratic representation. In this article, we try to discuss the possible effects of this technology on the legitimacy of modern governments in the four areas of governance, political trust, efficiency, and democracy, by separating the two main approaches to the relationship between politics and the chain of forms (techno-politics: the chain of forms)

Abstract The purpose of this article is to explain the existential threat of Zionist regime's sport
in international arena for Iran. From the perspective of purpose, the findings of this
article are practical and from the perspective of data collection, they are desk review.
They show that the sport of the Islamic Republic of Iran, after more than four decades
of not confronting the representatives of the Zionist regime in various fields, is now
facing an important challenge. According to the increasing investment of this regime
in different sport fields to gain more international prestige and performance, in coming
years, Iranian sport will face many challenges due to the presence of Israeli athletes
especially in Iran's medal-winning arenas such as wrestling, weight-lifting, judo and
etc. So, taking appropriate measures at the present time to deal with this problem can
prevent future crises for Iranian sports. Aligning Muslim countries with its approach
and goals, justifying international sports institutions using the experiences of other
countries, and distinguishing between "playing" and "recognition" are some
suggestions made by the author of this article.

Abstract  
This article seeks to examine the aims of publication the prison memoirs of individuals and political groups during the Pahlavi regime. One of the main functions of publication the communists memories in Reza Shah's prison was the propaganda for the benefit of the Tudeh Party. The memoirs also were a manifesto against the regime and delegitimize it. The Pahlavi regime also published some jail memoirs in support of its ideology and interests with attracting some prisoners. The memories of Pahlavi regime prisoners after the Islamic Revolution have also been published with the aim of delegitimizing the regime, legitimizing the revolutionary groups and delegitimizing the counter-revolutionary groups. In their representations of imprisonment, storytellers have standardized the behavior of their own groups as "normal" and rejected their "other" in various ways. The publications of memoirs have a function in "Political Post-Revolutionary Events Now" and resulted in the elimination of some individuals and political groups.
 

Abstract Archaism as a gradual and growing phenomenon in Iranian society have cultural, political, historical, and security implications. This articles seeks to answer how this phenomenon will impact the cultural-political security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The authors argue that the Aryan archaism discourse is different than citizen-centered nationalism and can lead to a chaotic political-cultural structure. The reason is archaism discourse is an "interpretive reaction" and a "structure-breaking narrative", which provides a platform for delegitimization and identify reassessment through "framework building", "historicism" and "representation" and poses a threat to socio-political coherence and stability through promoting "resistance identity" and "heterotrophism".
 
 

Abstract This article tries to review the relation between democracy and national security in less-developed nations. Since there are some limits on civil and political freedoms in less-developed countries in the name of national security, and democracy has had some unpleasant impacts on national security in these kinds of nations, author tries to analyze this issue.  This article shows that democracy and civil institutions of democratic system can correct and facilitate the flow of data, match outputs and inputs in political system, and coordinate components of political system with its functional environment, and help to increase national security factors. This occurs through functions like making social cohesion, increasing political capacity, increasing the legitimacy of system, positive effects on nation building process, and adapting elites discourse with social discourse.    

Abstract This article tries to answer this question;  how and through what mechanism, intelligence organizations effect political stability and prevent instability? Findings of research show that intelligence organization as an independent variable, effects political stability as a dependent variable, through mediator variables such as relative deprivation, political opportunities, external factors, political anomy, legitimacy, democracy, social movements, political culture, and economic problems. In the end, author claims that the best strategy for intelligence organizations to promote and protect political stability is to focus on “cognitive actions” instead of “covert actions” and “Participation in policy making” instead of “warning”.

Abstract Soft discourse was introduced in the final decade of the twentieth century and new horizons were born in understanding and explaining the strategic issues, particularly in International Studies. The concept of soft security has risen from the heart of this discourse and refers to a kind of security that protects the actors against such harms and risks in an intangible way.Present article mentions different ways for soft security concept to become operational in Iranian society and looks for a strategy that can protect the society and government against each other's threats in a soft way in Islamic Republic framework. So, the author believes that what can help this important strategy to operate at internal security level and prefers soft security to hard security to maintain the Islamic Republic is the reproduction of Islamic Republic discourse to face different challenges and environmental crisis in discourse fields, abstract fields and social practice domain.

Abstract

Faculty member of the Research Institute of Strategic Studies

This article examines methodological bases of the idealist school. The author maintains that idealist explanations of national security observe methods mostly and originally considered by Emanuel Kant. As the influential founder of idealism, Kant offered a new perception of human duties, the nature and mission of the state and the possibility of peaceful conduct on the part of political actors. Such perception, in contrast to the realist viewpoints, suggests a new order. The author initially explains the main claims of idealism and notes that the major claims of idealism include the belief in the desirable role of the environment in determining human behavior, utmost importance of public conscience and judgment, the reason’s efficient leadership, the priority of ethical aspiration over rational thinking, perfectionism, possible and necessary coordination of national interests of the national units, and international rights-duties. What is considerable in these claims from a methodological perspective involves the acceptance of the capability of reason and ethics in evaluating behaviors. In today’s world, mere reliance on the possibility and necessity of moralism is unable to eradicate insecurity and to secure national interests. Perhaps for this reason, idealist criteria are largely taken into account in the stage of making slogans and claims, because this outlook has a very rudimentary approach to power and casts doubt on the achievements and capabilities of the modernity.