مازیار مظفری فلارتی

This study investigates the representations of Hindu-Muslim relationship in Bollywood movies from 2008 to 2018. It is assumed that after 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, which are known as 26/11, conflicts between Hindus and Muslims have escalated. Since Indian people are extreme fans of movies, especially Bollywood movies, in this regard, it is expected that media could play a significant role in increasing or alleviating the conflicts by influencing people’s attitudes and opinions. This research seeks to examine the extent and modality of the representation of Hindu-Muslim relationships in Bollywood after the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The study was conducted through a content analysis of 11 Bollywood movies, which were selected from 70 Muslim-characters-based movies. Favorable, unfavorable, neutral and unclear were the four factors through which the movies’ contents were analyzed. The overall analysis of these factors indicate that 66.17% of the scenes were favorable, 14.70% were unfavorable, 2.94% were neutral, and 16.17% presented unclear images of Hindu-Muslim relationship in Bollywood movies. The results also indicate that Bollywood is not only depicting a positive image of this relationship, but also tries to tighten the bonds of the two religions, and in a broader sense, ties the two neighboring countries, Pakistan and India.

Internet Addiction Among Cyberkids in China: Risk Factors and Intervention Strategies by Qiaolei Jiang, 2019, Singapore: Springer, 199 pp., €84.99(h/c), ISBN 978-981-13-3791-8

This study aims to examine the representation of women with disabilities (sensory impairment) in the Indian cinema, focusing on the Hindi speaking Bollywood. Three popular movies shown in Bollywood have been selected in order to investigate the way in which women with disability are represented. The movies include Koshish (i.e. ‘Effort’, (1972), Lafangey Parindey (i.e. ‘Cheeky Birds’, (2010) and Kaabil ([i.e. ‘Capable’, (2017). The year 1970 has been selected as the beginning of the time frame because it is the closest time to the first Bollywood movie (Koshish, 1972), in which a disabled woman is depicted as a leading role. To analyze the movies, Critical Disability Theory (CDT) was selected as the study’s theoretical framework, and Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) has been applied as the study’s research method. Results reveal that the representation of women with disability has undergone significant positive changes over time, which includes variations in social status, ability and achievements, issues and concerns, patterns of pleasure, presence and acceptance, social attitude, words and phrases used, as well as changes in policies related to women with disabilities.

China is actively engaged in Afghanistan, especially with the Neo-Taliban, which indicates significant changes in China's foreign policy. The Chinese government invited the Neo-Taliban delegations several times and tried to expand their role in their country. The present study examines the impact of China's active engagement with the Neo-Taliban, using Ibn Khaldun's Social Theory and Discourse Analysis. Questioning the nature of the active engagement of China with Neo- Taliban, we hypothesized an increase in insecurity overflow from Afghanistan to China, as well as an increase in insecurity complications in Afghanistan against China’s interests. It became clear that the Neo-Taliban's increasing interaction with China was to the detriment of Taliban and ultimately China. The Doha Peace Agreement requested the control and restriction of foreign fighters residing in Afghanistan, which for the foreign fighters, including the Uighurs, were a reminder of the restrictions imposed on them before the fall of the Islamic Emirate. However, Mullah Omar did not openly engage with China. This will delegitimize the Afghan Neo-Taliban and ultimately create a disperse Neo-Taliban with a fragile legitimacy, whose fragility does not seem to collapse, but will not serve China's interests either.

Dieser Artikel untersucht die universellen Friedensbotschaften, die in den Werken zweier bedeutender persischer Dichter, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi (allgemein bekannt als Mawlana oder Rumi) und Hakim Abul-Qasim Ferdowsi, zum Ausdruck kommen. Dabei werden ihre wesentlichen Beiträge zum globalen Diskurs über Frieden hervorgehoben. Durch eine thematische Analyse werden Rumis Fokus auf inneren Frieden und Selbstbewusstsein mit Ferdowsis Betonung von sozialer Gerechtigkeit und den moralischen Verpflichtungen der Führung verglichen. Rumis mystische Poesie plädiert für persönliche Versöhnung als Voraussetzung für Harmonie mit dem Universum und hebt Liebe und Verständnis als wesentliche Wege zum Frieden hervor. Im Gegensatz dazu präsentiert Ferdowsis Epos, das Shahnameh, Frieden im Kontext kollektiver Identität, wobei gerechte Regierungsführung und moralische Integrität als entscheidend für die gesellschaftliche Harmonie gelten. Die Botschaften beider Dichter wirken kulturübergreifend und betonen Einheit, Empathie und die anhaltende Relevanz ihrer Lehren in aktuellen Bemühungen zur Konfliktlösung. Diese Forschung zeigt, wie die Reflexionen von Rumi und Ferdowsi über Frieden wichtige Einblicke für die Förderung von Dialog, Toleranz und Koexistenz in einer zunehmend durch Spaltungen geprägten Welt bieten. Darüber hinaus dienen ihre Werke als historische Perspektiven, um menschliche Erfahrungen während ihrer jeweiligen Epochen zu verstehen – Rumi in der Zeit der Mongoleneinfälle im 13. Jahrhundert und Ferdowsi während der arabischen Eroberung im 11. Jahrhundert. Schließlich positioniert diese Studie Rumi und Ferdowsi als entscheidende Quellen zur Gestaltung des globalen historischen Images Irans und hebt ihre anhaltende "Soft Power" innerhalb der iranischen Kultursphäre und darüber hinaus hervor. Durch eine kritische Untersuchung ihrer Beiträge im weiteren Rahmen der persischen Welt können wir ihren nachhaltigen Einfluss auf regionale Identitäten und globale kulturelle Dialoge würdigen.

Having deep historical roots, the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of India have been shaped by a multitude of factors, encompassing domestic, regional, and international developments. The influence of major powers on the contemporary ties of these two countries stands out among the international factors. Drawing on the analytical framework developed by Erzsébet N. Rózsa (2021), this paper aims to examine the role of the United States (US) in transforming the dynamics of Iran-India relations. The central argument put forth is that the foreign policy behavior of both countries towards each other in recent years is driven by national strategic interests rather than historical connections. The study employs a three-tiered analysis, examining the bilateral, regional, and global levels. Each level focuses on particular prominent aspects, such as trade flows and the energy market, developments in Southwest Asia, and the nuclear issue, respectively. This article contends that at all three levels, the importance of forging a strong bilateral relationship between India and Iran cannot be overlooked, given their numerous converging interests. However, the US foreign policy towards Tehran, notably through the maximum pressure campaign initiated by former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden’s failure to reverse unilateral sanctions, has indeed had a significantly detrimental impact on the ties between the two countries in the post-JCPOA period.