Journal of Iranian Social Studies

The Strategy of Popular Mysticism in Facing the Dangers of “Kolbari (Coulbari”)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Vakil Ahmadi 1
Sadegh Niknam 2

1 Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah.

2 M.A. in Cultural Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah

https://doi.org/10.22034/jss.2024.2030088.1844
Abstract
At least in the last decade, the economic life of the border villages of the Nosud part of Paveh County of Kermanshah province has been tied to the Kolbari (Coulbari) phenomenon due to the unfavorable economic conditions and the location of the border. “Coulbari” is a temporary, stressful and risky activity. The purpose of the research is to investigate the role of the risky border economy in intensifying the popularity of the folk mysticism. This is a qualitative research using grounded theory. Necessary information was collected by in-depth interviews with “Coulbars” in Nosud. The findings reveal that risk-taking, sense of competition, lack of job stability, environmental conditions, lack of trust in people around them are background conditions on which easy access to elements of popular mysticism and using them for building strength of heart, act as intervening factors that lead to the adoption of strategies such as belief in written paper amulets, or fortune-telling, which are known as strategies of popular mysticism. Adoption of such strategies by “coulbars” led to erosion of public trust, more popularity of folk mysticism, as an instrument of the creation of peace in heart for continuation of risky businesses.
 
 

Keywords

Border economy
informal economy
folk mysticism
Kolbari (Coulbari)
Nosud
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Journal of Iranian Social Studies
Volume 17, Issue 4
Winter 2024
Pages 5-27

  • Receive Date 25 May 2024
  • Revise Date 26 August 2024
  • Accept Date 02 October 2024
  • First Publish Date 22 October 2024
  • Publish Date 22 October 2024

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