Driving dangerously: law, culture and driving habits in Iran

Banakar, R. and Nasrolahi Fard, S. 2012. Driving dangerously: law, culture and driving habits in Iran. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. 39 (2), pp. 241-257. https://doi.org/10.1080/13530194.2012.711039

TitleDriving dangerously: law, culture and driving habits in Iran
AuthorsBanakar, R. and Nasrolahi Fard, S.
Abstract

Iran has the highest rate of road traffic accidents (RTAs) worldwide. Iranian studies of the growing levels of RTAs are often conducted by medical doctors, who view them in light of the increase in the production and ownership of cars and the changed lifestyle of many Iranians, and discuss them in terms of pathology, morbidity and epidemiology. This article argues that although the high levels of RTAs in Iran are new and reflective of the changing character of Iranian society, the habit of reckless driving is not. Using open and semi-structured interviews, it explores how Iranians describe their driving habits and experience RTAs. Placing the results of the interviews in the historical context of Iranian society, the article goes on to examine driving as a form of behaviour with legal and cultural dimensions indicative of how Iranians interact with each other and with the normative structures of the legal system, the state and society to create a form of social order. Being mediated through the use of automobiles, driving habits also throw light on how Iranians relate themselves to an aspect of modern technology. Thus, this study will treat Iranians' driving habits as an empirical manifestation of one aspect of their legal culture, which is mediated through the technology of the automobile.

JournalBritish Journal of Middle Eastern Studies
Journal citation39 (2), pp. 241-257
ISSN1353-0194
Year2012
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/13530194.2012.711039
Publication dates
Published2012

Related outputs

The sociology of law: from industrialisation to globalisation
Banakar, R. 2011. The sociology of law: from industrialisation to globalisation. Sociopedia.isa.

Having ones cake and eating it: the paradox of contextualisation in socio-legal research
Banakar, R. 2011. Having ones cake and eating it: the paradox of contextualisation in socio-legal research. International Journal of Law in Context. 7 (4), pp. 487-503. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1744552311000267

Pre-empting terrorism? Two case studies of the UK's anti-terrorism legislation
Banakar, R. 2010. Pre-empting terrorism? Two case studies of the UK's anti-terrorism legislation. in: Banakar, R. (ed.) Rights in context: law and justice in late modern society Farnham Ashgate. pp. 193-214

Law, rights and justice in late modern society: a tentative theoretical framework
Banakar, R. 2010. Law, rights and justice in late modern society: a tentative theoretical framework. in: Banakar, R. (ed.) Rights in context: law and justice in late modern society Farnham Ashgate. pp. 19-40

Introduction: snapshots of the rights discourse
Banakar, R. 2010. Introduction: snapshots of the rights discourse. in: Banakar, R. (ed.) Rights in context: law and justice in late modern society Farnham Ashgate. pp. 1-18

In search of Heimat: a note on Franz Kafka's concept of law
Banakar, R. 2010. In search of Heimat: a note on Franz Kafka's concept of law. Law and Literature. 22 (3), pp. 463-490. https://doi.org/10.1525/lal.2010.22.3.463

Power, culture and method in comparative law: a review essay of Comparative Law: a Handbook, Esin Orucu & David Nelken, eds., Hart Publishing, 2007
Banakar, R., Orucu, E. and Nelken, D. 2009. Power, culture and method in comparative law: a review essay of Comparative Law: a Handbook, Esin Orucu & David Nelken, eds., Hart Publishing, 2007. International Journal of Law in Context. 5 (1), pp. 69-85. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1744552309005047

Law through sociology’s looking glass: conflict and competition in sociological studies of law
Banakar, R. 2009. Law through sociology’s looking glass: conflict and competition in sociological studies of law. in: Denis, A. and Kalekin-Fishman, D. (ed.) The ISA handbook in contemporary sociology London Sage. pp. 58-73

The politics of legal cultures
Banakar, R. 2008. The politics of legal cultures. Retfærd: Nordic Journal of Law and Justice. 31 (4), pp. 37-60.

Whose experience is the measure of justice?
Banakar, R. 2008. Whose experience is the measure of justice? Legal Ethics. 10 (2), pp. 209-222.

The politics of legal cultures
Banakar, R. 2008. The politics of legal cultures. Retfærd: The Nordic Journal of Law and Justice. 31 (4/123), pp. 37-60.

Poetic injustice: a case study of the UK's anti-terrorism legislation
Banakar, R. 2008. Poetic injustice: a case study of the UK's anti-terrorism legislation. Retfærd: The Nordic Journal of Law and Justice. 31 (3/112), pp. 69-90.

Case assignment in English courts
Banakar, R., Flood, J., Webb, J. and Whyte, A. 2007. Case assignment in English courts. in: Langbroek, P.M. and Fabri, M. (ed.) The right judge for each case: a study of case assignment and impartiality in six European judiciaries Antwerp ; Oxford Intersentia.

Sociological jurisprudence
Banakar, R. 2007. Sociological jurisprudence. in: Clark, D.S. (ed.) Encyclopedia of law and society: American and global perspectives Thousand Island, CA Sage.

Review of D. J. Galligan’s Law in Modern Society
Banakar, R. 2007. Review of D. J. Galligan’s Law in Modern Society. Retfaerd. 30 (3/118), pp. 83-89.

Law, race and ethnicity
Banakar, R. 2007. Law, race and ethnicity. in: Clark, D.S. (ed.) Encyclopedia of law and society: American and global perspectives Thousand Island, CA Sage.

Georges Gurvitch
Banakar, R. 2007. Georges Gurvitch. in: Clark, D.S. (ed.) Encyclopedia of law and society: American and global perspectives Thousand Island, CA Sage.

Review: "A life of H.L.A. Hart: the nightmare of the noble dream, by Nicola Lacey
Banakar, R. 2006. Review: "A life of H.L.A. Hart: the nightmare of the noble dream, by Nicola Lacey. Jurist: Nordic Journal of Law and Practice. 113 (2/29).

Integrating reciprocal perspectives: on Georges Gurvitch's theory of immediate jural experience
Banakar, R. 2006. Integrating reciprocal perspectives: on Georges Gurvitch's theory of immediate jural experience. in: Cotterrell, R. (ed.) Law, culture and society: legal ideas in the mirror of social theory Aldershot, UK Ashgate.

Can sociology and jurisprudence learn from each other? A reply to Mauro Zamboni
Banakar, R. 2006. Can sociology and jurisprudence learn from each other? A reply to Mauro Zamboni. Jurist: Nordic Journal of Law and Practice. 113 (2/29).

Book review of 'Race, law, resistance' by Patricia Tuitt (London, The GlassHouse Press, 2004, 134 pp., £25.00)
Banakar, R. 2005. Book review of 'Race, law, resistance' by Patricia Tuitt (London, The GlassHouse Press, 2004, 134 pp., £25.00). Journal of Law and Society. 32 (4), pp. 648-652. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6478.2005.00341.x

Internal case assignment in England
Flood, J., Banakar, R., Webb, J. and Whyte, A. 2005. Internal case assignment in England. in: Fabri, M. and Langbroek, P.M. (ed.) Internal case assignment. A report on a comparative study into the rules and practices of case distribution in courts in five countries Utrecht, Netherlands University of Utrecht. pp. 63-134

Book review of 'The policy of law: a legal theoretical framework' by Mauro Zamboni (Stockholm: Stockholm University Press)
Banakar, R. 2005. Book review of 'The policy of law: a legal theoretical framework' by Mauro Zamboni (Stockholm: Stockholm University Press). Retfaerd. 111 (4/28), pp. 82-87.

When do rights matter? A case study of the right to equal treatment in Sweden
Banakar, R. 2004. When do rights matter? A case study of the right to equal treatment in Sweden. in: Halliday, S. and Schmidt, P. (ed.) Human rights brought home: socio-legal perspectives on human rights in the national context Oxford, UK Hart. pp. 165-184

Studying legal texts: introduction to section three
Banakar, R. and Travers, M. 2003. Studying legal texts: introduction to section three. in: Banakar, R. and Travers, M. (ed.) Theory and method in socio-legal research Oxford, UK Hart. pp. 133-137

Studying legal cultures: introduction to section five
Banakar, R. and Travers, M. 2003. Studying legal cultures: introduction to section five. in: Banakar, R. and Travers, M. (ed.) Theory and method in socio-legal research Oxford, UK Hart. pp. 239-243

Structural approaches: introduction to section four
Banakar, R. and Travers, M. 2003. Structural approaches: introduction to section four. in: Banakar, R. and Travers, M. (ed.) Theory and method in socio-legal research Oxford, UK Hart. pp. 195-201

Socio-legal research in the UK: introduction to section six
Banakar, R. and Travers, M. 2003. Socio-legal research in the UK: introduction to section six. in: Banakar, R. and Travers, M. (ed.) Theory and method in socio-legal research Oxford, UK Hart. pp. 279-282

Law, sociology and method
Banakar, R. and Travers, M. 2003. Law, sociology and method. in: Banakar, R. and Travers, M. (ed.) Theory and method in socio-legal research Oxford, UK Hart. pp. 1-31

Introduction
Banakar, R. and Travers, M. 2003. Introduction. in: Banakar, R. and Travers, M. (ed.) Theory and method in socio-legal research Oxford, UK Hart. pp. ix-xvi

Ethnography and law: introduction to section two
Banakar, R. and Travers, M. 2003. Ethnography and law: introduction to section two. in: Banakar, R. and Travers, M. (ed.) Theory and method in socio-legal research Oxford, UK Hart. pp. 69-74

Studying cases empirically: a sociological method for studying discrimination cases in Sweden
Banakar, R. 2003. Studying cases empirically: a sociological method for studying discrimination cases in Sweden. in: Banakar, R. and Travers, M. (ed.) Theory and method in socio-legal research Oxford, UK Hart. pp. 139-159

Merging law and sociology: beyond the dichotomies in socio-legal research
Banakar, R. 2003. Merging law and sociology: beyond the dichotomies in socio-legal research. Berlin, Germany Galda and Wilch.

Sociological jurisprudence
Banakar, R. 2002. Sociological jurisprudence. in: Banakar, R. and Travers, M. (ed.) An introduction to law and social theory Oxford, UK Hart. pp. 33-49

Integrating reciprocal perspectives: on Gurvitch's theory of immediate jural experience
Banakar, R. 2001. Integrating reciprocal perspectives: on Gurvitch's theory of immediate jural experience. Canadian Journal of Law and Society. 16 (1-2), pp. 67-91.

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/8z611/driving-dangerously-law-culture-and-driving-habits-in-iran


Share this

Usage statistics

117 total views
0 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.