Tarikh Islam

Awareness of Iran’s contemporary history plays a fundamental role in shaping the national identity of Iranians. However, the consequences of encountering the West—especially orientalist narratives—have hindered the emergence of this self-awareness and obstructed an independent engagement with our contemporary history. Moreover, the application of Western humanities in analyzing Iranian issues has confronted us not only with theoretical and normative challenges, but also with an identity challenge. This article, employing the method of Critical Discourse Analysis, seeks to propose a “critical research strategy” that can deconstruct the dominant Western discourse in the humanities and enable the reconstruction of an Iranian‑Islamic identity. The findings of this study indicate that establishing an independent field of “Studies of Contemporary Iranian History and Thought,” grounded in a critical and interdisciplinary approach, is a necessary solution for overcoming the identity challenge and escaping the dominance of Western humanities discourse.