Theatricality of the Authoritarian State: Analyzing Performative State Violence in Post-Revolutionary Iran

This research analyzes intersections of performance and politics, to understand the mechanics of state violence in Iran from the 1979 Iranian Revolution to the present. Drawing on Werry (2011), I define state performance as the ways in which the state uses cultural practices to convey authority and legitimacy, and to shape citizens' beliefs and behaviors through ceremonies, rituals, and other public displays.

The post-revolutionary period has been marked by the restriction of the number of political parties and their activities (Samii, 2009), propagation of Shiism and ideological views (Rolston, 2017; Milani, 2022), and enforcement coercive control and political repression (Honari, 2018). The state's ideological motto, "Victory is achieved by terror," characterizes its approach to governance (Parsa, 2022).

My project seeks not only to offer an understanding of how theatrical techniques are coopted in the interests of state violence, but also to catalyze transformative discourses and actionable strategies to confront contemporary sociopolitical challenges in Iran, and beyond. As Iranian society deals with escalating state performance, which generates an atmosphere of despair and terror (Behtoui, 2023), the urgency of my inquiry becomes all the more appreciable and timely.

Context and Case Studies

The Iranian state's propagandist performance of power is arguably unparalleled and unique: occupying foreign embassies, burning flags, hanging 'enemies' in public etc. I examine state performances in relation to four key theatrical elements: space, time, bodies, and atmosphere (Fischer-Lichte, 2008), revealing how the performances reshape these elements, reinforcing the prevailing hegemony.

I apply theatre, performance and political theories to three distinct manifestations of state performance in Iran's recent history, which have been afforded little critical attention: Pro-Government Rallies Forced Confessions Governmental Celebrations