The Islamic Revolution Approach

The Islamic Revolution Approach

The Interaction of Social and Cultural Factors in Shaping Postmodern Values: A Case Study of Kermanshah City

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Maryam Mansouri 1
Mansour Haghighatian 2
Mohammad Ali Chitsaz 3
1 PhD Student, Department of Sociology, Dehaghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Dehaghan, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Dehaghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Dehaghan, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Dehaghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Dehaghan, Iran
Abstract
This study aims to examine the role of various factors in shaping postmodern values in the city of Kermanshah and seeks to answer the question of which social and cultural factors have the greatest impact on the formation of such values. The main hypothesis of the research is that factors such as media consumption, cultural capital, family relations, attitudes toward class values, and the public sphere exert a positive influence on postmodern values, whereas religious background and ethnic identity have an inverse effect. The research was conducted using a descriptive-survey method with a researcher-designed questionnaire. The statistical population consisted of citizens over 18 years of age in Kermanshah, from which 384 individuals were selected through cluster sampling. Findings reveal a tension between tradition, modernism, and postmodernism in Kermanshah, particularly among younger generations who, under the influence of globalization and new technologies, tend to embrace values such as individualism and relativism. This study highlights the necessity of analyzing cultural and social transformations in transitional societies and suggests that policymakers should undertake more effective planning to manage these shifts.
Introduction
The transformation of social values in transitional societies remains one of the most pressing issues of contemporary sociology. Postmodernism, emerging as a cultural and intellectual current from late 20th-century France, challenges traditional and modernist paradigms by emphasizing pluralism, relativism, and the rejection of meta-narratives. The city of Kermanshah provides a compelling case study due to its unique demographic, ethnic, and cultural composition, where Kurdish, Lur, and Persian groups intersect with strong religious traditions. Recent processes of globalization, urbanization, and digital communication have exposed Kermanshah’s population—especially its youth—to diverse global discourses, creating fertile ground for postmodern values. Against this backdrop, this research addresses the central question: Which social and cultural factors significantly influence the formation of postmodern values in Kermanshah?
Materials and Methods
The study employed an applied, descriptive-survey methodology. The statistical population included all citizens above 18 years of age in Kermanshah, totaling 946,651 individuals based on the 2022 census. Using Cochran’s formula, a sample size of 384 was determined. Cluster sampling was applied across the city’s eight municipal districts, with households selected via postal codes. Data collection was conducted through a researcher-designed questionnaire, measuring variables such as media consumption, cultural capital, family relations, gender attitudes, class values, orientation to the public sphere, religious background, and ethnic identity. Data analysis utilized SPSS and structural equation modeling. Reliability and validity were confirmed through KMO (0.883) and Bartlett’s test (χ² = 1292.564, p < 0.001), indicating strong suitability for factor analysis.
Discussion
The findings reveal a complex interplay of reinforcing and resistant factors in the acceptance of postmodern values. Media consumption emerged as the most powerful predictor, reflecting the centrality of mass and digital media in disseminating pluralistic and relativistic worldviews. Social media and satellite channels expose individuals to diverse cultural narratives, thereby eroding the authority of traditional grand narratives and fostering multi-vocality.
Cultural capital also demonstrated a strong positive effect. Individuals with higher levels of education, cultural participation, and access to intellectual resources are more capable of questioning entrenched traditions and embracing cultural diversity. In line with Bourdieu’s theory, cultural capital functions as a gateway for openness to postmodern discourses, particularly among youth and educated groups.
Family relations, traditionally a bastion of value transmission, have shifted toward dialogical and pluralistic practices. This change indicates that even within the private sphere, negotiation and diversity of viewpoints replace rigid hierarchical authority. Such transformation aligns with Hicks’s interpretation of the family as a multi-vocal postmodern unit.
Class attitudes and engagement with the public sphere were also positively associated with postmodern values. As individuals become increasingly sensitive to class inequalities and public debates, they align with postmodern critiques of power and authority, echoing Foucault’s notion of power-knowledge relations. These findings underscore the role of social awareness in fostering skepticism toward universalist claims and hierarchical systems.
Conversely, religious background and ethnic identity were found to negatively correlate with postmodern values. Religion and ethnicity serve as sources of grand narratives and communal cohesion, often resisting relativism and pluralism. In Kermanshah, where religious and ethnic identities remain strong, these elements act as counter-forces, reinforcing traditional cohesion and resisting cultural fragmentation. Gender attitudes, however, did not significantly affect postmodern values, suggesting that gender roles in this context are mediated by a complex intersection of tradition and modernity, leaving them in a transitional and ambivalent state.
Overall, the findings depict Kermanshah as a society negotiating multiple layers of identity and value systems, where global cultural flows intersect with local traditions. The younger generation tends to align more with postmodern values, whereas older and more traditional groups remain anchored in religious and ethnic frameworks.
Conclusion
The study concludes that the rise of postmodern values in Kermanshah is neither uniform nor absolute but emerges through the interaction of modernizing forces and traditional anchors. Media consumption, cultural capital, and public engagement act as accelerators of postmodernism, while religion and ethnicity act as stabilizers of tradition. This dual dynamic reflects the broader Iranian context, where rapid modernization and globalization coexist with strong cultural and religious traditions. Policy implications suggest that effective cultural management should balance the preservation of valuable traditional elements with openness to pluralism and diversity. Initiatives in media literacy, cultural capital development, and intergenerational dialogue can facilitate this balance, enabling societies like Kermanshah to navigate the complexities of value transformation in the age of postmodernity.
 
Keywords
Postmodernism
Postmodern values
Kermanshah
Social change
Cultural identity
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