Discourse Analysis of Social Justice Policies in Post-Revolutionary Iran

Abstract

: The article aims to analyze the discursive transformations of social justice to realize social welfare during five successive administrations in the Islamic Republic of Iran from 1981 to 2021. It analyzes institutional texts and official speeches by the presidents of each administration based on the discourse analysis method of Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe. The findings demonstrate that each government differently articulated the signifier of justice in its social policies. However, the central signification was tied to ‘poverty eradication’ in all five administrations. However, social justice was not considered a comprehensive discourse nor an inclusive strategic process, but rather was defined discursively by each government as a government-oriented project in a short-term perspective, mainly by reducing social justice to economic growth and redistribution of resources. Finally, according to the comprehensive discourse of the Islamic Revolution, I suggest the need to redefine social justice as the aim of realizing social welfare in Iranian society with regard to the comprehensive, multi-dimensional definition of justice which include: (1) equal access to resources and opportunities by providing backgrounds, range and scope for such opportunities; (2) considering the principle of entitlement and necessities; and (3) attention to redistributive justice and expansion of the government’s sup portive umbrella by focusing on the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups (social, physical and mental).