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The Underground Music Scene Reflect The Socio Political Situation Of Contemporary Iran?

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‘To what extent does the underground music scene reflect the socio-political situation of contemporary Iran?’
A review of literature

A reoccurring observation made in literature focused on music in contemporary Iran, is the challenge music has faced since the Islamic revolution of 1979 and the subsequent establishment of a theocratic state . Ghazizadeh (2011) argued that music is one of the most controversial issues in Islam and so after the victory of the Islamic revolution, which promised a return back to traditional Islamic norms and values, the position of music significantly changed in Iran. Similarly, this notion of music being a challenging issue is reflected in the writings of Maghazei (2014). Maghazei highlighted that since the revolution of 1979, some religious authorities have been categorically against music and others have been more progressive, maintaining that music is not prohibited in the Qur’an . Youssefzadeh (2000) also stressed that, not only has music been at the centre of a fierce religious debate, but also at the heart of a political one. He highlights that the position of music in Iran is not solely determined based on religious grounds, but also by political undercurrents. Music is viewed by the people of Iran and the ruling elite, as a potential initiator of social change. Therefore, any state policy towards music would reflect the paranoia and chief concerns of the Islamic establishment. The commitment to devote large resources to regulate

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