Representation of Iranian National Identity Among Kermanshah’s Kurdish Intellectuals

Due to ethnic diversity in Iran and the growth of ethnic nationalist movements, the issue of national identity, which reinforces national solidarity and social consistency, is worth paying attention to. The present research addresses the question of how Kermanshah as the most populous city with Kurdish ethnic identity, among the Kurdish cities of Iran, has not witnessed the formation of a nationalist ethnic movement? The theoretical framework used is Anthony de Smith’s historical ethnic symbolization that believes in the elite’s role in reinterpretation and redefining national identity symbols in the form of long-term historical analysis. The method used in this research is descriptive-analytic and the library method has been used to collect information. The finding of the research indicate that elites of Kermanshah by symbolizing elements of national identity, have rebuilt national identity in Kermanshah and it is one of the reasons for not forming ethnic movements in Kermanshah.