From primordial memory to ethnic memory
An ethno-symbolic analysis of memory in the thought of Dariush Shayegan and Anthony D. Smith
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24242024 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ramin Alborzi (0000-0002-1622-5285, Tarbiat Modares University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-16 |
| Publication date | 2026-10-30 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | National Identities (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1460-8944 • E-ISSN: 1469-9907 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14608944.2026.2748910 |
| OpenAlex | W7224758959 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 6 |
This article compares Anthony D. Smith’s concept of ‘ethnic memory’ with Dariush Shayegan’s notion of ‘primordial memory’. While Smith situates memory within the formation and reproduction of ethnic and national communities, Shayegan develops it within a broader philosophical and civilizational critique of modernity. The article argues that the two concepts are neither identical nor unrelated. Shayegan’s primordial memory is not a theory of nationalism or national memory, but a deeper cultural and civilizational reservoir from which national identities may selectively draw. Their relationship is therefore mediated, showing how inherited civilizational memories can be transformed into narratives of national continuity.
Cultural History and Identity Formation · Memory, History, Trauma, Identity · Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration
| Highly cited | No |
|---|