Center and Exile in Comparative Literature; An Introduction to the Historical Role of Contemporary Literary Centers of the World in Iranian Literary Developments

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

Abstract

This study provides a theoretical introduction to the significance of “literary centers” in comparative literature and examines the role of contemporary global literary centers in shaping Iranian literary developments. Drawing upon three conceptual frameworks: Professor Shafiee Kadkani’s “network–center” theory, Casanova’s notion of the “capital of the world republic of literature,” and Beaugrande and Eckstein’s “polyphonic city” model, article first establishes a working definition of literary centers before analyzing the influence of three exemplary centers (the Caucasus, Istanbul, and Berlin) on Iranian literary movements. A literary center is defined as a spatial-cultural entity possessing cultural-literary determinacy, political-economic power, and an attractive force capable of assimilating, absorbing, and elevating literary phenomena while simultaneously enhancing its own prestige; additionally, some centers exhibit “discursive democracy,” as seen in the “polyphonic city,” which enables pluralistic narratives and creative expression. The study concludes that literary centers play a crucial role in facilitating intercultural literary exchange and supporting comparative literary inquiry, and that they have been instrumental in introducing modern Western literary works and genres to Iran, allowing Persian literature to engage with world literature. This influence is particularly evident in the emergence of modern Iranian drama and fiction, the flourishing of literary translation, and their lasting impact on the evolution of Persian literary production.

Keywords

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References

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Research in Contemporary World Literature
Volume 31, Issue 1
April 2026
Pages 79-98

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