Armin Firouzi is currently pursuing an interdisciplinary PhD in Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought at Virginia Tech. His scholarly interest lay at the intersection of historical preservation in religious cultural settings and politics of identity. Before moving to the United States, Armin finished his master’s in Cultural Heritage Studies in Cyprus, where he also collaborated in heritage documentation and urban regeneration projects. His master’s thesis questions politics of everyday life regarding Zoroastrian heritage community in context of Yazd, a UNESCO World Heritage City. Armin is currently transforming his thesis into a book chapter in the book series of the DFG Research Training Group. In this chapter, he delves into the intricate dynamics influenced by politics regarding the representation of Zoroastrian cultural identity and the impact of religion-led dominant perspectives on their socio-cultural rights. The research establishes an analytical framework for evaluating the current status of Zoroastrians' Right to the City in Yazd. He contends that despite the legal protection of such rights, the practical measures within Iran's Islamic theocratic power structure reveal the marginalization and erosion of their cultural identity. Supervisors: Max Stephenson
Journal of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment Faculty of Engineering, Technology, and Built Environment, UCSI University, 2023
Urban development and conservation of built heritage are often reflected as two conflicting force... more Urban development and conservation of built heritage are often reflected as two conflicting forces of city planning. It is in this sphere that heritage management should protect cultural heritage resources. However, the insufficiency of updated legislation as much as lack of effective organizational structures, breeds legal and administrative difficulties for safeguarding of built heritage and often it is with little or no integration in the broader urban development considerations. Therefore, an integrated approach for urban management was developed since 2011 to bring together the two seemingly contradictory agendas. Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) is a systematic approach and a management strategy that has been successfully applied in a number of cities around the world, aimed at safeguarding their built heritage within development initiatives. Iran is an accelerated developing country with hundreds of historic urban landscapes that are threatened with the crisis of urbanization. This paper explores challenges for conservation of built heritage in Iran from the perspective of HUL strategies.
This study examines the rights of Zoroastrians, a religious minority, in the historic city of Yaz... more This study examines the rights of Zoroastrians, a religious minority, in the historic city of Yazd, a Muslim-majority city designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It investigates the influence of politics on the representation of Zoroastrian cultural identity and the impact of religious-led views on their socio-cultural rights within an Islamic framework. This research uses a qualitative approach and an inductive methodology to explore the theoretical foundations necessary to justify the ‘Right to the City’. It also utilises key points from institutionalisation cases to create a framework for analysis. The findings and results are then discussed using analytical and comparative approaches. The findings of this research highlight the discriminatory nature of the theocratic power structure in Iran, particularly concerning the rights of Zoroastrians in Yazd. The study identifies several gaps between the written legal codes and the actual implementation of these rules, leading to the marginalisation of the Zoroastrian community and eroding their cultural identity. This research highlights the challenges Zoroastrians face in accessing their rights in Iran, emphasising the importance of addressing these issues to promote inclusivity, cultural preservation, and social justice for religious minorities.
Journal of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment Faculty of Engineering, Technology, and Built Environment, UCSI University, 2023
Urban development and conservation of built heritage are often reflected as two conflicting force... more Urban development and conservation of built heritage are often reflected as two conflicting forces of city planning. It is in this sphere that heritage management should protect cultural heritage resources. However, the insufficiency of updated legislation as much as lack of effective organizational structures, breeds legal and administrative difficulties for safeguarding of built heritage and often it is with little or no integration in the broader urban development considerations. Therefore, an integrated approach for urban management was developed since 2011 to bring together the two seemingly contradictory agendas. Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) is a systematic approach and a management strategy that has been successfully applied in a number of cities around the world, aimed at safeguarding their built heritage within development initiatives. Iran is an accelerated developing country with hundreds of historic urban landscapes that are threatened with the crisis of urbanization. This paper explores challenges for conservation of built heritage in Iran from the perspective of HUL strategies.
This study examines the rights of Zoroastrians, a religious minority, in the historic city of Yaz... more This study examines the rights of Zoroastrians, a religious minority, in the historic city of Yazd, a Muslim-majority city designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It investigates the influence of politics on the representation of Zoroastrian cultural identity and the impact of religious-led views on their socio-cultural rights within an Islamic framework. This research uses a qualitative approach and an inductive methodology to explore the theoretical foundations necessary to justify the ‘Right to the City’. It also utilises key points from institutionalisation cases to create a framework for analysis. The findings and results are then discussed using analytical and comparative approaches. The findings of this research highlight the discriminatory nature of the theocratic power structure in Iran, particularly concerning the rights of Zoroastrians in Yazd. The study identifies several gaps between the written legal codes and the actual implementation of these rules, leading to the marginalisation of the Zoroastrian community and eroding their cultural identity. This research highlights the challenges Zoroastrians face in accessing their rights in Iran, emphasising the importance of addressing these issues to promote inclusivity, cultural preservation, and social justice for religious minorities.
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Papers by Armin Firouzi
Iran is an accelerated developing country with hundreds of historic urban landscapes that are threatened with the crisis of urbanization. This paper explores challenges for conservation of built heritage in Iran from the perspective of HUL strategies.
Books by Armin Firouzi
Iran is an accelerated developing country with hundreds of historic urban landscapes that are threatened with the crisis of urbanization. This paper explores challenges for conservation of built heritage in Iran from the perspective of HUL strategies.