American Studies Research Group - inaes-موسسه مطالعات آمریکای شمالی و اروپا
Department of American Studies
Overview
The Department of American Studies has been established with the goal of producing specialized knowledge, monitoring regional developments, and providing scientific analyses regarding the United States and its impact on the international system. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the Department examines the political, security, economic, social, cultural, and foreign policy dimensions of the U.S., while scrutinizing its connections with other regions of the world, particularly the Middle East and West Asia. The Department’s scope of study includes decision-making structures in Washington, political parties, interest groups, the media, public opinion, macroeconomic policies, technological developments, and U.S. national security strategies. Furthermore, the U.S.’s relations with traditional allies, strategic competition with China and Russia, and its interactions with international organizations constitute core areas of research.
In this framework, the Department of American Studies strives to leverage the expertise of researchers and specialists in political science, international relations, economics, and sociology to become a reputable authority in American studies. It aims to facilitate enhanced scientific understanding and informed decision-making regarding this pivotal actor in the international system. Key activities of the Department include the preparation of analytical notes, organizing specialized sessions, publishing strategic reports, continuous monitoring of U.S. political and economic developments, and fostering scientific cooperation with both domestic and international research centers.
Main Objectives
Research Priorities
In alignment with contemporary American developments and the needs of comparative studies, the Department prioritizes the following research areas:
About the Head of the Department
Dr. Zeinab Ghasemi Tari is an Associate Professor at the Department of American Studies. Her research interests encompass colonialism and post-colonialism, diaspora, discourse analysis, and Iran-U.S. relations. Her theoretical approach integrates critical theories—such as Foucauldian discourse analysis, post-colonial studies, and identity theories—with regional studies and foreign policy. Her research particularly focuses on the discursive representations of “Self” and “Other” in U.S. foreign policy, transnational links and the role of the diaspora in shaping political relations, and the impact of the colonial legacy on the current order of the international system. Through an interdisciplinary approach, she strives to uncover the hidden historical, discursive, and identity-related layers in Iran-U.S. relations, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges and possibilities facing this complex relationship.
The Department of American Studies has been established with the goal of producing specialized knowledge, monitoring regional developments, and providing scientific analyses regarding the United States and its impact on the international system. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the Department examines the political, security, economic, social, cultural, and foreign policy dimensions of the U.S., while scrutinizing its connections with other regions of the world, particularly the Middle East and West Asia. The Department’s scope of study includes decision-making structures in Washington, political parties, interest groups, the media, public opinion, macroeconomic policies, technological developments, and U.S. national security strategies. Furthermore, the U.S.’s relations with traditional allies, strategic competition with China and Russia, and its interactions with international organizations constitute core areas of research.
In this framework, the Department of American Studies strives to leverage the expertise of researchers and specialists in political science, international relations, economics, and sociology to become a reputable authority in American studies. It aims to facilitate enhanced scientific understanding and informed decision-making regarding this pivotal actor in the international system. Key activities of the Department include the preparation of analytical notes, organizing specialized sessions, publishing strategic reports, continuous monitoring of U.S. political and economic developments, and fostering scientific cooperation with both domestic and international research centers.
Main Objectives
- Establishing the Department’s scientific and organizational identity and developing a research roadmap adapted to the rapid pace of developments in the U.S.
- Identifying, recruiting, and networking with researchers, analysts, and specialists in the field of American studies, both domestically and internationally.
- Continuous monitoring and assessment of U.S. political, economic, security, and social developments, with an emphasis on election cycles, high-level decision-making, and structural changes.
- Publishing analytical notes, strategic reports, periodic bulletins, and statistical databases on U.S. macro-indicators.
- Organizing specialized sessions, roundtables, and scientific webinars featuring experts, former diplomats, and prominent Americanists.
- Identifying strategic capacities, threats, and opportunities in Iran-U.S. relations, with an emphasis on the dimensions of sanctions, negotiations, and regional interactions.
- Engaging in research cooperation with universities, think tanks, and research centers active in the field of American studies, both domestically and abroad.
- Supporting young researchers and specialists in the field of American studies, particularly in emerging areas such as cognitive warfare, artificial intelligence, and technology policy.
- Developing scientific and research diplomacy with independent academic centers in the U.S. and other Western countries to facilitate exchanges and reduce misunderstandings.
Research Priorities
In alignment with contemporary American developments and the needs of comparative studies, the Department prioritizes the following research areas:
- Decision-making structures in Washington and influential policy-making institutions.
- Political parties, interest groups, the media, and public opinion.
- Macroeconomic policies and economic developments in the United States.
- Technological developments, artificial intelligence, and technology policy.
- U.S. national security strategies.
- U.S. relations with traditional allies, including Europe, NATO, the Zionist regime, and Persian Gulf Arab states.
- The U.S. strategic competition with China and Russia.
- U.S. interactions with international organizations.
- Iran-U.S. relations, with an emphasis on sanctions, negotiations, and regional interactions.
- U.S. ties with the Middle East and West Asia.
About the Head of the Department
Dr. Zeinab Ghasemi Tari is an Associate Professor at the Department of American Studies. Her research interests encompass colonialism and post-colonialism, diaspora, discourse analysis, and Iran-U.S. relations. Her theoretical approach integrates critical theories—such as Foucauldian discourse analysis, post-colonial studies, and identity theories—with regional studies and foreign policy. Her research particularly focuses on the discursive representations of “Self” and “Other” in U.S. foreign policy, transnational links and the role of the diaspora in shaping political relations, and the impact of the colonial legacy on the current order of the international system. Through an interdisciplinary approach, she strives to uncover the hidden historical, discursive, and identity-related layers in Iran-U.S. relations, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges and possibilities facing this complex relationship.