Iranian Journal Of Antheropology

Iranian Journal Of Antheropology

A Sociological Reading of the Novel “Mehri” Based on Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Cultural Capital

Document Type : Research Paper

Author
Younes Jafarloo
PhD in Persian Language and Literature. Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan. Iran.
10.22034/jasi.2026.2089046.1632
Abstract
This study analyzes the novel Mehri by Forood Jahangiri from a sociological perspective, drawing upon Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital. The primary research problem centers on how the lifestyle, social relations, customs, and cultural institutions of the Qashqai nomadic community are represented in the novel, and how these elements intersect with the structures of power, prestige, and social identity. As cultural documents, novels do not merely possess aesthetic value; they reflect deep-seated social relations and the lifeworlds of their respective societies. Mehri provides a rich ground for investigating the nomadic structure and its transition from tradition to modernity. The main objective of this study is to identify the various forms of cultural capital depicted in the novel and to analyze their role in the reproduction of social order. Utilizing a qualitative approach, this study employs qualitative content analysis with a descriptive-analytical method. Data were gathered through a close reading of the text and interpreted based on Bourdieu’s threefold classification of cultural capital. The findings indicate that embodied cultural capital is represented through skills such as horsemanship, marksmanship, Bayati singing, and weaving; objectified cultural capital is manifested in material goods such as handwoven crafts, traditional attire, rifles, and horses; and institutionalized cultural capital is represented by mobile nomadic schools. The study concludes that cultural elements in the novel do not merely serve narrative or aesthetic purposes, but rather function as instruments for acquiring prestige, generating power, and reproducing social order. Furthermore, the novel effectively captures the coexistence and conflict between traditional and modern values, as well as the status of women within the patriarchal structure of the tribe.
Keywords
Bourdieu
Cultural Capital
Mehri Novel. Nomadic Literature
Sociology of Literature
Subjects
 
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Iranian Journal Of Antheropology
Volume 23, Issue 42 - Serial Number 42
September 2026
Pages 83-102