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Date Palms as Living Infrastructure: An Ethnography of Human-Plant Relationship in Bam City, Iran

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Date Palms as Living Infrastructure: An Ethnography of Human-Plant Relationship in Bam City, Iran

Bahrami, Sarah (2023) Date Palms as Living Infrastructure: An Ethnography of Human-Plant Relationship in Bam City, Iran. Masters thesis, Concordia University.

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Abstract

This ethnography narrates the story of date palms as a living infrastructure in supporting Bam gardeners as they navigate the daily uncertainties in Iran. The research focuses on two main areas. The first part examines the intimate gardener-date palm relationship, exploring how this intimate bond is nurtured through their daily interactions and the profound embodiment of the tree. This multi-species bonding serves as a source of inspiration, instilling a sense of hope and resiliency within the gardening community, especially during challenging times. To illustrate this point, the research offers a poignant example of the 2003 destructive earthquake, revealing how the date palm gardening infrastructure played a pivotal role in the recovery of Bam gardeners.
In the second part, the research contextualizes this bonding within Iran’s broader socio-political landscape. It sheds light on how the resilient date palm infrastructure emerged as a result of the land and water reform policies following the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Divisions:Concordia University > Faculty of Arts and Science > Sociology and Anthropology
Item Type:Thesis (Masters)
Authors:Bahrami, Sarah
Institution:Concordia University
Degree Name:M.A.
Program:Social and Cultural Anthropology
Date:14 July 2023
Thesis Supervisor(s):Hetherington, Kregg
ID Code:992557
Deposited By: Sarah Bahrami
Deposited On:17 Nov 2023 14:54
Last Modified:17 Nov 2023 14:54

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