مساجد به عنوان کانونهای گفتمانی در بازتولید هویت و سرمایه اجتماعی؛ تحلیلی از محله های مرکزی و حاشیه ای شهر خرم آباد

Extended Abstract
 
Introduction and Objectives: Within Islamic discourse, mosques transcend their conventional devotional function to operate as dynamic discursive hubs—spaces wherein meaning, identity, and social capital are continuously reproduced through verbal interactions, collective rituals, and localized networks. In contemporary Iranian cities, however, physical and managerial transformations have exacerbated spatial inequalities. The divide between privileged central neighborhoods and marginalized peripheral areas manifests not only in unequal access to urban services but also in divergent patterns of social interaction and the variable quality of local networks.
A systematic review of the extant literature reveals four major lacunae: (1) insufficient attention to the discursive mechanisms underlying mosque functions; (2) a conspicuous absence of intra-urban comparative analyses; (3) a weak theoretical-methodological nexus between discourse analysis, social identity, and social capital; and (4) a pervasive neglect of mosques’ discursive agency in relation to institutional power structures.
The present study seeks to examine the role of mosques in representing social identity and generating social capital within both the central and marginal neighborhoods of Khorramabad. The central research question is: How do discursive constructs and institutional contexts shape the function of Khorramabad’s mosques as “discursive centers” in the processes of group identity formation, social capital reinforcement, and citizen participation enhancement across central and peripheral neighborhoods?
Method: This qualitative investigation employed Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), utilizing Fairclough’s three-dimensional model (description, interpretation, and explanation) in conjunction with van Dijk’s ideological square framework. The study population encompassed all discourses related to mosques in Khorramabad, categorized into three principal types: textual discourses (sermons, announcements, and local news); official documents (endowment and municipal reports); and field activities (religious ceremonies and charitable programs).
The research field was geographically delimited to central neighborhoods (characterized by rich cultural-historical heritage) and marginal neighborhoods (marked by economic and social challenges). Purposeful sampling was employed to select 12 mosques—six in central and six in marginal areas—based on three criteria: social significance, geographic diversity, and accessibility to rich data.
Data collection employed a multi-method approach: document analysis of 25 recorded sermons, 30 bulletin board announcements, and 15 local news items from Mehr, Shabestan, and IRNA news agencies; participant observation in 12 religious ceremonies and 10 charitable initiatives; and review of official records, including the 2024 annual report of the Endowment Organization of Lorestan. To ensure trustworthiness, Lincoln and Guba’s quality criteria (peer debriefing, triangulation, and member checking) were systematically applied.
Table 1 – Summary of Discursive Findings of Central and Marginal Mosques in Khorramabad (Based on CDA)




Context


Dominant Vocabulary


Reproduced Identity


Social Capital


Participation Level (Arnstein)




Central (6 mosques)


Positive: unity, solidarity, enduring legacy


Cultural-historical, positive group identity


Bridging (out-group)


Cooperation & Delegation




Marginal (6 mosques)


Negative: imposed poverty, institutional injustice


Livelihood-resistance identity


Limited bonding (in-group)


Information & Service receip




 
Results: The findings were organized across three analytical levels. At the descriptive level, textual analysis revealed that the discourse of central mosques—drawing upon cultural-historical heritage and affirmative vocabulary such as “Islamic unity,” “brotherly solidarity,” and “enduring legacy”—reproduced a positive group identity. In contrast, marginal mosques, oriented around livelihood themes and negative terminology such as “imposed poverty,” “social deprivation,” and “institutional injustice,” foregrounded supportive demands and local justice-seeking narratives.
At the interpretive level, in central mosques, spontaneous synergy among imams, benefactors, and local institutions served to strengthen bridging social capital and elevate citizen participation to the levels of cooperation and delegated authority on Arnstein’s ladder. A concrete illustration of this dynamic was the “One Night, One Neighborhood, One Mosque” initiative, which featured 10 exhibitions and attracted over 500 visitors. Conversely, in marginal mosques, the predominance of deterministic discourses and livelihood-oriented reinterpretation constrained collective actions to the levels of information dissemination and service receipt.
At the explanatory level, institutional challenges—most notably, the lack of coordination between the Endowment Organization and the municipality in allocating funds for the reconstruction of 14 flood-damaged mosques (with damages totaling 30 billion tomans across 40 mosques)—undermined public trust and fueled the reproduction of discursive inequality. Nonetheless, instances of mutual aid (Mowasāt)—such as 30 participants distributing 100 food packages at the Asadābadi mosque—alongside synergistic collaborations between NGOs and mosques, demonstrate the latent potential to break free from the cycle of institutional dependency.
Discussion and Conclusions: The findings unequivocally demonstrate that mosques situated in divergent spatial-economic contexts perform distinct discursive and identity functions. These differences are not mere reflections of spatial inequalities; rather, they are products of the structural reproduction of historical disparities and the specific patterns of local governance prevalent in Khorramabad.
Theoretically, while corroborating social identity theory (Tajfel) and social capital theory (Putnam), this study reveals that the absence of a discursive-analytical approach in prior research has left our comprehension of mosques’ actual role in the socio-cultural transformation of neighborhoods fundamentally incomplete. Practically, central mosques function as “independent producers of meaning,” whereas marginal mosques have been reduced to “passive consumers of institutional discourses”—a condition that actively reproduces discursive inequality.
This study encountered certain limitations, including its focus on only 12 mosques within a medium-sized city and the difficulty of accessing sermons from earlier periods. Based on the findings, four strategic recommendations are proposed: (1) developing local discursive literacy through specialized workshops for imams and cultural activists in marginal areas; (2) establishing networking platforms between central and marginal mosques to facilitate the exchange of experiences and resources; (3) revitalizing endowment management by empowering local councils and benefactors within a transparent and participatory framework; and (4) designing a multi-level, neighborhood-based participation model that transitions from symbolic participation to genuine delegation of authority.