Spektrum Iran

Abstrakt During the reign of Peter the Great (1672-1725), Russia implemented an aggressive strategy against Iran, which reached its peak in the early years of 19th century. Since then Iran has entered into an uneven relationship with Russia. Focusing on Dalīl as-sufarāʼ, one of the first 19th-century Persian travelogues to Russia, this paper examines, on a sociological approach, the constructions of social and cultural foreignness through boundary-making practices. Exemplary text excerpts are used to illustrate what types of foreignness are created, and which strategies have been used either to maintain or adopt the experienced foreignness.