Functions of Geopolitical Discourses of Perceived Enemy

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 - Full Professor of Political Geography, Trbiat Modares University, Tehran

2 - Associate Professor of Political Geography, Trbiat Modares University, Tehran

3 - MA of Political Geography, Tehran University, Tehran

Abstract

Although otherization plays an important role in influencing the creation of human identity, its extreme form in which outsider is transformed into anti-insider (enemy) creates a sort of domineering system with the supremacy of a special discourse over other discourses or systems of meaning. The present paper is an attempt to discuss the benefits incurring from perceived enemy for the discursive systems.
 Although the ethical nature of the perceived enemy is always doubtful, its benefits are so great that the discursive systems more or less through its verbal and media presentation try to reproduce it.  The findings of the present study indicate that the most important function of perceived enemy in which invisible domination of discursive systems is inherent include: provocation of the public opinion against the other, nation-building, identification, reconstruction of the collapsed identities, legitimization of expansionist behaviors, winning the support of public opinion, neocolonization, consolidation of political positions and borders, strengthening of the sense of territoriality and patriotism, increasing national activities, diversion of public opinion, satisfaction of inner feelings of the nation, covering up the domestic problems and excitement and consolidation of the morale of insiders.
 
 

Keywords

Geopolitics Quarterly
Volume 6, Issue 18
July 2010
Pages 1-30

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 06 March 2010
  • Revise Date: 26 April 2010
  • Accept Date: 15 June 2010

Share

How to cite

Statistics