This project expands the geographical and theoretical scope of ‘racial capitalism’ by employing the social ontology of internal relations to examine the interconnectedness of class and ethnic oppression in contemporary Iran.

Conceptually, the project argues that capital accumulation relies on the hierarchical classification and organisation of subordinate groups, including those categorised by ethnicity. Accordingly, within the context of global capitalism, it develops three key hypotheses: (1) class and ethnicity in Iran are intrinsically linked to capital accumulation; (2) the labour market enforces an ethnic hierarchy that privileges the dominant Shia-Persian group; and (3) workers in central regions have internalised Iranian nationalism due to its material and symbolic benefits.

Using a relational methodology, the project will analyse archival data and documents from various governmental organisations and conduct semi-structured interviews with labour leaders, left-wing intellectuals, and political figures. Its goals are to (1) challenge the notion that neoliberal markets, often viewed as identity-neutral, are the sole shapers of social relations in contemporary capitalism; (2) broaden racial capitalism literature by focusing on ethnic oppression and the Global South; and (3) provide a new perspective on the link between Iran’s labour movement and nationalism to advance the decolonisation of Iranian studies.