Estimating Ethnic Identities’ Importance Among Iranian Tribes

Abstract

Unappreciation and inattention to ethnic identity weakens unity, and this is a threat for national integrity and solidarity in culturally diverse societies. For this reason, governments and authorities try to strengthen national integrity through utilizing local values. This study rates local values’ importance among the minorities that settled in Tehran through a questionnaire. The city of Tehran as the capital and largest city in Iran is one of the main immigrant receiving areas in the world with 31% reception of immigrants. This research validated the results of the questionnaire through in-depth interview with Iranian cultural experts. Evidently, paying attention to ethnic identity establishes a tradition which will continue in history for the later generations. Moreover, attention to ethnic identity can stimulate people’s patriotism. This paper suggests that majority of Iranian groups show interest in local values’ Importance. The interest of different tribes in their own ethnic identity can has tremendously important roles in implementing or not implementing major plans and long-term cultural programs.