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France-Iran: dans le sillage du "désintérêt" politique à une fascination culturelle mutuelle

Sharif, Jaleh

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, French and Italian.
Abstract: This dissertation studies the history of Francophonie in Iran since the first fructuous official interactions between France and Persia in 17th century. Francophonie, i.e., the use of the French language and culture outside of France, has followed a winding path throughout several centuries in Persia (Iran). It grew from the interest of the Persian elite in a French society that neither engaged Persia militarily, nor attempted to compete with other European powers doing so. France's apparent lack of political interest in Persia became an official French diplomatic policy of "désintéressement," or "disinterest." This "hands off" policy nourished a Persian/Iranian fascination with French culture during the 19th and 20th centuries, as France was seen as a potential ally against the growing menace of Russia and Great Britain. As a result, and despite the growing political influence of other Western powers in Persia/Iran, the French language enjoyed the privileged status of first foreign Western language in Persia/Iran for almost a century, before being replaced by the English language due to the entry of the United States onto the international stage after the Second World War. This cultural fascination, however, was not unilateral: French literary texts (travel narratives, novels, Oriental tales and philosophical texts) inspired by French ideas of an exotic Persia began to appear from the first encounters between the two nations in 17th century. This intercultural fascination and Iranian Francophonie did not completely disappear after the Iranian Islamic revolution of 1979. Despite a lack of interest in Franco-Iranian relations on both parts and the political conflicts that can dominate these relations, intercultural fascination and Iranian Francophonie persist. They took on new forms, such as a renewed desire of Iranians to learn French due to the Iranian migratory movement to Quebec or France, a French fascination with Iranian women in exile writing in French, and a strong French interest in Iranian cinema.
Jennifer Willging (Advisor)
Danielle Marx-Scouras (Committee Member)
Richard Davis (Committee Member)
261 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Sharif, J. (2015). France-Iran: dans le sillage du "désintérêt" politique à une fascination culturelle mutuelle [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429644160

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Sharif, Jaleh. France-Iran: dans le sillage du "désintérêt" politique à une fascination culturelle mutuelle . 2015. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429644160.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Sharif, Jaleh. " France-Iran: dans le sillage du "désintérêt" politique à une fascination culturelle mutuelle ." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429644160

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)