Mapping Otherness; A Postcolonial Critique of Subjectivation Processes in the West and the non-West

Abstract

This research examines the intersection of revolution, spirituality, and resistance in the Iranian context, emphasizing how religious and mystical traditions have historically served both as tools of defiance and mechanisms of control. The study explores how Iranian subjectivity has been shaped by historical cycles of domination and transformation, considering cultural schizophrenia (Dariush Shayegan) and subaltern agency (Ranajit Guha) as central frameworks. By analyzing spirituality as a mode of political resistance, this project critiques Western-centric analyzes of revolutions, arguing that Iranian resistance must be understood through its own indigenous traditions of subject formation and struggle.

Within this context, Michel Foucault’s reading of the Iranian Revolution serves as a case study to interrogate the limitations of Western philosophical interpretations of non-Western uprisings. While Foucault viewed the revolution as a moment of "political spirituality," his Eurocentric framework failed to account for the deep-rooted historical and cultural complexities of Iranian resistance. By juxtaposing Foucault’s analysis with postcolonial critiques, the research re-evaluates how spirituality functions as both an emancipatory force and a site of ideological appropriation. Through this lens, the project contributes to a broader discussion on how non-Western societies navigate modernity, tradition, and revolution beyond dominant Western theoretical paradigms.

Short biography

Bahar Zamani is a PhD candidate at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien) in the Department of Art and Cultural Studies (Institut für Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften). Originally from Iran, her research is shaped by an interest in the intersection of spirituality, subjectivity, and resistance in non-Western contexts. With a focus on postcolonial theory, her work examines the role of spirituality in shaping revolutionary movements and explores how cultural and historical narratives influence collective agency. Engaging with thinkers such as Michel Foucault, Ranajit Guha, and Daryush Shayegan, her dissertation critically reassesses Western theoretical interpretations of the Iranian Revolution while advocating for a more nuanced understanding of resistance beyond conventional paradigms.