A Critical Survey of Historical Studies about Architecture of Pahlavi Era, Case Study: “Architecture of Pahlavi the First” by Mostafa Kiani

It has been in recent decade that we saw a considerable growth in number of published historical works about contemporary architecture of Iran and its modernization era. But paying far little attention to paradigmatic frameworks of analyze and incompatible approaches for the rational enquiry along without criticality to paradigmatic criteria, have been brought some scientific conflicts to their authenticity what this article is about. Here, theoretical basis of these studies is considered through three research paradigms as well as two architectural paradigms called inner-disciplinary and outer-disciplinary through rational debate. Via compatible study with works of historians of modern architecture and architectural history as a whole, some vast neglected areas of research in this subject are introduced. This comparison is arranged in two categories of elitism history and generic one and it is argued that historical research of near present has not pay enough attention to generic historical analysis while there has been a rich body of documents and evidences. Then one of the examples of elitists’ historical studies of contemporary architecture of Iran is put under criticism: “Architecture of Pahlavi the First” (by MostafaKiani). This study is distinguishable from its counterparts by its approach toward social- oriented research and by its dropping of naturalistic paradigm that is common in such works in Iran. The criticism presented here is aimed to enhancement of historical-analytical approaches toward past Iranian architecture and includes enquiry of its content as well as form. Finally some advices for improvement of historical research in the field of architecture of near present of Iran are given.