Heterotopias of Death: The Spatial Politics of Cemeteries in Tehran

Abstract

This article examines the spatial transformation of cemeteries in Tehran, tracing their evolution from neighborhood-based burial grounds to large-scale, centralized sites, through the lens of Michel Foucault’s concept of heterotopia. It analyzes cemeteries as socio-cultural spaces that reflect broader urban dynamics of memory, identity, and political power. The study explores burial practices across premodern, modern, and post-revolutionary periods, emphasizing how cemeteries embody both cultural perceptions of death and state-led agendas of modernization and control. Focus is given to Behesht-e Zahra Tehran’s largest cemetery as a heterotopic space where religious, national, and political narratives intersect. The research also investigates the marginalization of minority cemeteries within the urban landscape. Drawing on historical maps, planning documents, and spatial analysis, the article demonstrates that cemeteries in Tehran are dynamic, multifunctional urban sites shaped by shifting cultural, religious, and political ideologies.