Gaining Ground

Discovering the New Iranian American

  • As young Iranian Americans, we will be the ones responsible for propagating Iranian culture in the United States. Who are we in this new generation, what will we preserve, and what might we leave behind?

    "Gaining Ground" is an attempt to answer these questions. A space in which we - and YOU - will join to share our discoveries of what it means to be Iranian in the United States today, what it means to be Iranian in general, and how we can promote our newfound identities in our adopted homes. Please read "About 'Gaining Ground'" for more information!
  • Watch videos at Vodpod and other videos from this collection.

“We Are Iran” Documentary Film

“We Are Iran: An Apologia” (working title), a twenty to thirty-minute documentary film, will document the various processes through which Iranians between the ages of 14 and 35 and living in the United States are engaging with their home culture. How do people at different points in time define “Iranian identity” ? What motives and needs are invested in particular definitions of “Iranian identity”? What of the culture is most pressingly preserved in young people and what is left behind in favor of a more Westernized approach?

As these questions allude, discussions of Iranian culture in the United States must take into account the nature of cultural transmission from the émigré generation of the late 1970s to the generation born and raised in the States. This latter cohort will be expected to carry on Persian culture once their parents are no longer available to do so, and in this position, these young minds have to decide which aspects of Iranian identity to claim as their own and which aspects they will discard. To do so in a well-adjusted fashion, they have to ask themselves tough questions, such as what it means to “be Iranian.” Can one critique Iranian racism and still feel a part of the Iranian community? Can one eschew life as an engineer and still be considered Iranian? Such questions are part of the thick process of cultural building and therefore, young people’s experiences can elucidate how culture is shaped, what it means, and where its dynamisms are most powerfully felt.

2 Responses to ““We Are Iran” Documentary Film”

  1. smartieartie said

    Please Take 30 Seconds to Vote for a Film About Iranian Youth

    Millions of young Iranians are marching in the streets demanding their rights. Our film, CIRCUMSTANCE, is about the struggles and triumphs of Iran’s youth. Support Iran’s Amazing Youth, Get their stories told.

    Iran’s Votes were ignored. Make yours count. Vote for CIRCUMSTANCE!

    Please click on the director’s name, MARYAM KESHAVARZ/ CIRCUMSTANCE, and click five stars. The link is http://www.netflixfindyourvoice.com/. And they won’t use your email for evil. The clip is a sample of my work from a short I directed that won the Jury Prize at Berlin. Spread the word . . . Deadline July 4th . . . Thank you!

  2. Tod Panama said

    As a Freshman, I am always looking online for articles that can help me get further ahead. Thanks a million!

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