Function of Archaeology in the Shaping of Iran's International Image

پژوهش نامه ایرانی سیاست بین الملل

Volume 13, Issue 2 - Serial Number 26, July 2025, Pages 358-387   

Document Type: Original Article

DOI: 10.22067/irlip.2025.92805.1655

Authors

hossein asghari sani^{* 1}; hassan nami²; ebrahim raiygani²

¹miras

²University of Neyshabur

Abstract

Nation branding constitutes an integral part of the commercialization of culture and society. Historically, states have endeavored to enhance their global image through symbols, traditions, arts, music, history, cultural heritage, tourism, and festivals—given that a nation’s brand (a distinctive identity coupled with a positive image and reputation) is pivotal to its geopolitical functionality. Currently, international public opinion perceives Iran through a dualistic lens: a negative framing (as a purported threat to global security) juxtaposed with a positive narrative (as the world’s oldest continuous civilization with millennia of heritage). This paper examines the role of archaeology—as both a methodological tool and an academic discipline for reconstructing past human cultures—in rebranding Iran as humanity’s primordial nation-state.
The analysis suggests that institutional consensus among governing bodies to allocate strategic resources (legislative frameworks, institutional infrastructure, budgetary prioritization, and specialized human capital development) toward areas of comparative civilizational advantage (historical, cultural, and archaeological capital) has been instrumental in crystallizing Iran’s brand identity as an ancient civilization with an unbroken historical lineage spanning thousands of years.

Keywords

Archaeology; Nation Branding; Branding; Iran; Public Diplomacy

References