Eighth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Nostalgia is a construct that, even when rooted in lived experiences, serves the ultimate purpose of creating a desired sense of world. Fundamental cognitive competencies, including memory and imagination, are utilized by the nostalgic subject to fulfill a need for narrative coherence. A temporal or spatial distance is necessary for the occurrence of a nostalgic episode, which can be conceptualized as a “had been” state of being, as direct access to the experience is often impossible. Nostalgia may thus be viewed as a tool for sense-making rather than solely as a yearning for the past. The nostalgic narrative form is a construct that permits human subjects to comprehend their existence in the world while drawing upon their roots. These tools for sense-making serve as bridges between past experiences and current conditions. Ultimately, nostalgic identity is not just about longing for the past but also about utilizing the past as a resource for navigating the labyrinths of the present. Analyses are conducted to examine the medium of music video at three levels - auditory, visual, and linguistic - in order to investigate the strategies and techniques employed by the Iranian diaspora to create nostalgic narratives. Samples of original pieces and renditions are contrasted in order to identify elements of nostalgic narrativity. Drawing on empirical research, it is argued that the unity of a music video arises from the integration of separate layers of sensory and conceptual inputs that have been composed towards an affective resonance and narrative coherence.