Journal of Lifestyle

Journal of Lifestyle

Explaining the Diversity of Iranian Lifestyles Based on Agency–Structure Theory

Document Type : Scientific research

Author
majid kafi
Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Social Sciences, Research Institute of Hawzah and University, Qom, Iran.
10.22034/jl.2026.512918.1746
Abstract
Rooted in the historical, social, and cultural conditions of every society, the diversity of lifestyles reflects the distinctive characteristics of that society. In societies characterized by cultural and social diversity, the existence of a single lifestyle cannot be assumed. In Iran, a diverse spectrum of lifestyles has emerged, shaped by the convergence of diverse cultures, the profound transformations of the contemporary world, the introduction of new cultural approaches, orientations, and cultural goods, and, more recently, by the expansion of new media, information and communication technologies, and virtual social networks. Against this backdrop, the central question concerns the factors accounting for the diversity of Islamic–Iranian lifestyles in the contemporary period. The study employs istintāq, a question-driven method establishing connections between social and religious works and the research subject through successive stages. Istintāq refers to that which is inferred, denoting a meaning not explicitly stated yet capable of being inferred. Grounded in the agency–structure nexus, the study concludes that two factors are influential: first, the convergence of diverse cultures in Iranian Islamic society; and second, the predominance of a particular contextual condition within a given historical period or among a particular group or social network, extending from the characteristics of agents and social and cultural structures to, above all, the emerging structures of information and communication technologies and virtual social networks.

This diversity and multiplicity are also evident in Islamic knowledge and the realization of Islam. It is clear that every religion, including Islam, offers teachings for the lifestyle of its followers. However, how do these religious teachings manifest for individuals living in specific contextual, cultural, and ethnic conditions? It is also evident that the Islamic lifestyle, due to its manifestation in varying contextual conditions across Islamic societies, is diverse and multifaceted. Therefore, one can speak of "Islamic lifestyles" rather than a singular "Islamic lifestyle.
Keywords
Iranian lifestyle
agency&‌‌ndash
structure
istintāq method
information and communication technology
virtual social networks
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 11 September 2025
  • Revise Date 01 November 2025
  • Accept Date 09 February 2026