Journal of Iranian Cultural Research

Journal of Iranian Cultural Research

Meaning-making and discourse construction of ethnic identity in social media: A case study of Instagram

Document Type : Scientific Research Manuscript

Authors
Ali Jafari 1
Saeid Faramarziani 2
Behnam Rezagholizadeh 3
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Partnerships and Communications, Research Institute for Education Studies, Organization for Educational Research and Planning (OERP), Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences, Department of Social Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran
3 PhD Candidate in Communication Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22035/jicr.2026.3348.3615
Abstract
This study explores how Turkic ethnic identity-seeking is represented in cyberspace, with a particular focus on the social media platform Instagram. The significance of this research stems from the fact that modern social networks, especially Instagram, with their high capacity for producing and disseminating content, have become important arenas for promoting ethnonationalist discourses and can influence national cohesion. The research adopts a qualitative methodology, drawing on Barthes’ and Peirce’s semiotics combined with directed content analysis. The study population consisted of Instagram pages belonging to Pan-Turkism supporters. From among dozens of available profiles, three accounts with more than two thousand followers were purposively selected. Data were collected through direct observation and semiotic analysis of the posts, and then examined using qualitative coding and categorization. The findings revealed that the content of the studied profiles consistently emphasized the reinforcement of ethnic identity and the reproduction of ethnonationalist discourse. Through references to cultural and historical elements, the images and texts sought to create in-group solidarity and strengthen a sense of belonging to a unified ethnic community. The analysis further showed that a variety of persuasive communication strategies were employed, including the arousal of emotions, evocation of nostalgia, and the use of affective and emotional appeals to influence audiences. The results indicate that Instagram functions as an effective platform for reproducing resistance identities and ethnic discourses. This underscores the urgent need for cultural policymaking, comparative studies across other social networks, and systematic assessment of how such representations shape public opinion.
Keywords
Ethnic Identity
Media Representation
Social Networks
Instagram
Semiotics

Subjects

Ahmadi, H. (2000). Ethnicity and ethnocentrism in Iran: Myth and reality. Tehran, Iran: Ney Publishing.
Ahmadi, H. (2002). Globalization, ethnic identity or national identity. National Studies, 3(11). dor: 20.1001.1.1735059.1381.3.11.2.5
Ahmadi, H. (2003). Iranian national identity in the course of history. National Studies, 4(1), 9–48. dor: 20.1001.1.1735059.1382.4.15.1.9
Ahmadzadeh, H. (2007). From novel to nation: A study on Persian and Kurdish narrative discourse (B. Sajadi, Trans.). Sanandaj: University of Kurdistan Press.
Babaei-Fard, A., & Ganji, M. (2014). The effect of the internet on multicultural identity. Socio-Cultural Development Studies, 2(4), 97–124.
Bahramian, Sh., & Bahramian, O. (2012). The relationship between ethnic convergence (Turks and Kurds) and sustainable security in West Azerbaijan. Theoretical Politics Research Journal, 11.
Bal, M. (2002). Semiotics as a theory of art. (F. Sojoudi, Trans.). Aesthetics Journal, 6.
Barthes, R. (1991). Elements of semiology (M. Mohammadi, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Al-Hoda International Publications.
Barthes, R. (2013). Mythologies (S. Daghighian, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Markaz Publishing.
Burk, P.A. (1997). Sociological approach to self and identity. US: Washington State University.
Burton, R. (2001). Political ethnology (N. Fakouhi, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Ney Publishing.
Castells, M. (2006). The information age: Economy, society, and culture (A. Aligholian et al., Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Tarh-e-No Press.
Cohen, A.P. (1996). Personal Nationalism: A Scottish View of Some Rites, Rights, and Wrongs. American Ethnologist, 23(4), 802–815.
Dashti, T. (2011). Conceptualizing ethnicity and ethnic minority as an element of political society. Political and International Research Quarterly, 9, 141–150.
Edgar, A., & Sedgwick, P. (2009). Key concepts in cultural theory (N. Taghvaian, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Office of Social Planning and Cultural Studies.
Fakouhi, N. (2008). Ethnicity and dialogue of civilizations. Lecture at the International Center for Dialogue of Civilizations.
Fenton, S. (2004). Beyond Ethnicity: The Global Comparative Analysis of Ethnic Conflict. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 45(3-4), 179-194.
Fotis, J., Rossides, N., & Buhalis, D. (2010). Social media impact on leisure travel: The case of the Russian market and the challenges for the Cyprus tourism industry, preliminary findings. Paper presented at the 3rd Annual EuroMed Conference. EuroMed Academy of Business.
Giddens, A. (1999). Modernity and self-identity: Self and society in the late modern age (N. Movaqqeian, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Ney Publishing.
Grigaliunaite, V., & Pileliene, L. (2016). Emotional or rational? The determination of the influence of advertising appeal on advertising effectiveness. Scientific Annals of Economics and Business, 63(3). doi:10.1515/saeb-2016-0130
Hajiani, E. (2005). Identity challenges in America (Review of Huntington’s work). Goftogu Quarterly, 24, 181–193.
Hajiani, E. (2009). The relationship between national and ethnic identity among Iranian ethnic groups. Iranian Sociology, 9(3–4), 143–164.
Hakimi, R. (2010). The role of social networks on identity: A case study on Facebook and Kurdish users. Global Media Journal, 10. https://journals.ut.ac.ir/article_66595.html
Hall, S. (1997). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London: Sage.
Hall, S. (2003). The work representation. in Stuart Hall, Representation: Caltural .
Hall, S. (2012). Meaning, culture, and social life (A. Golmohammadi, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Markaz Publishing.
Iman, M.T., & Kezghan, T. (2002). Investigating the factors influencing women’s social identity. Alzahra University Journal of Humanities, 44–45, 79–106.
Iman, M.T., & Nushadi, M.R. (2011). Qualitative content analysis. Research, 3(2), 15–44.
Isajiw, W. (1990) Ethnic identity retention. In: R. Berton, W. and Isajiw. W. Kalbach and jireitz, ethnic identity and equality. University of Toronto Press.
Jafari, A., Faramarziani, S., & Rezagholizadeh, B. (2024). Representation of Ethnic Identity-Seeking Symbols on Instagram. National Studies Quarterly, 25(100), 105–130. doi:10.22034/rjnsq.2024.456840.1606
Jenkins, R. (2002a). Social identity (T. Ahmadi, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Shirazeh Publishing.
Jenkins, R. (2002b). Ethnic and racial studies in the twentieth century. Tehran: Strategic Studies Institute.
Kaplan, A.M. & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68. doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003
Karimi, Y. (2009). Attitude and attitude change. Tehran, Iran: Virayesh.
Khoubrouy-Pak, M.R. (2001). Minorities. Tehran, Iran: Shirazeh.
Kosh, D. (2002). The concept of culture in social sciences (F. Vahida, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Soroush Publishing.
Malešević, S. (2012). Sociology of ethnicity (Y. Ahmadi & H. Mohammadzadeh, Trans.). Kermanshah, Iran: Jihad University Press.
Maqsoudi, M. (2001). Ethnic transformations in Iran: Causes and contexts. Tehran, Iran National Studies Institute.
Maqsoudi, M. (2002). The impact of globalization on ethnicities. In Culture in the Age of Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities. Tehran, Iran: Roozaneh Publishing.
Matiel, A. (2004). Middle East: Encyclopedia of nationalism (K. Fani & M. Mohajer, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Library.
Mehdizadeh, S.M. (2008). Media and representation. Tehran, Iran: Office of Media Studies and Development.
Mohammadzadeh, H. (2011). Factors related to ethnic nationalism among Kurds in Iran (Doctoral dissertation). Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran.
Mohsenian-Rad, M. (2006). Communication studies (7th ed.). Tehran, Iran: Soroush.
Özkirimli, U. (2004). Theories of nationalism (M. Qasemi, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: National Studies Institute.
Rahbari, M. (2001). Identity Crisis in Contemporary Iran. Nameh-ye Pazhohesh, 1(22–23).
Raudsepp, I., Maie, V. (2011) The Role of the Phenomenon of Joint Singing in the Development of National Identity in Estonia. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 29(1), 1312-1319. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.11.368
Salehi-Amiri, R. (2006). Managing ethnic conflicts in Iran. Tehran, Iran: Strategic Research Center.
Salemi, A. (2015). Semiotic analysis of environmental and traffic education in children’s TV programs. Tehran, Iran: Media Research Center.
Sambanis, N. (2001). Do Ethnic and Nonethnic Civil Wars Have the Same Causes? A Theoretical and Empirical Inquiry (Part 1). Journal of Conflict Resolution, 45, 259-277. doi:10.1177/0022002701045003001
Sanina, A. (2012) Competing for a citizen: Visible and invisible forms of state identity in Russia. Journal of Eurasian Studies, 3 (2), 126-146. doi:10.1016/j.euras.2012.03.004
Saroukhani, B., Seyfollahi, S., & Eyvazi, Y. (2017). A review of ethnic studies in Iran: Critique, evaluation and model proposal. Iranian Cultural Research Quarterly, 11(2), 1–35. doi: 10.22631/jicr.2018.1569.2250
Smith, A. D. (2004). Nationalism: Theory, ideology, history (M. Ansari, Trans.). Tehran, Iran: National Studies Institute.
West Azerbaijan Police Command (2013). Annual Morfok report of West Azerbaijan Province.
Send comment about this article
Enter Name.
Enter a valid email address.
Enter a vaid affiliation.
Enter comments (At leaset 10 words)
CAPTCHA Image
Enter Security Code Correctly.

  • Receive Date 14 July 2024
  • Revise Date 24 November 2024
  • Accept Date 07 January 2025