Analysis of the Socialization of Georgian Migrants in Safavid Iran: Applying Anthony Giddens' and John Berry's Migration Theories

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
mohsen heydarnia 1
saber adak 1
fatemeh naserinezhad 2
1 Assistant professor and faculty
2 دانشجوی دکتری تاریخ و تمدن ملل اسلامی، دانشکده علوم انسانی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد یادگار امام خمینی(ره) شهرری، تهران، ایران.
10.48311/jhs.2026.104702.0
Abstract
Abstract
This study examines the process of socialization of Georgian migrants in Safavid Iran and seeks to analyze their interaction with the social, cultural, and political structures of Iran using Anthony Giddens' structuration theory and John Berry's acculturation model. The migration of Georgians to Iran, which was primarily forced and part of military and security policies, led to demographic and cultural changes in central regions of Iran. Findings indicate that despite the specific conditions of migration, Georgians were able to integrate into the Safavid power structure and play an active role in reproducing social order. By focusing on both structure and agency, this article demonstrates that the socialization of Georgians was shaped not only through state policies but also through cultural and identity pathways. The use of Giddens' and Berry's theoretical frameworks enables a multi-layered analysis of this process and contributes to a deeper understanding of the migration experience in its historical context.
 
Keywords
: Iran
Safavid era
Georgian immigrants
socialization of immigrants
ethnic identity
Subjects
historical sociology
Volume 16, Issue 2
October 2025