کارکردهای اجتماعی مهمان‌نوازی در ایران عصر قاجار: تحلیل روایت‌های سفرنامه‌نویسان اروپایی با رویکرد انتقادی

This study critically analyzes the dual and contradictory representations of Iranian hospitality in European travelogues of the Qajar era. Although hospitality is one of the prominent cultural components of Iran, its image in these historical sources is not unified. This article aims to explain the factors shaping this dual depiction, by qualitatively analyzing these texts. The findings show that the representation of hospitality is based on two opposing axes: on the one hand, the hospitality of ordinary people, villagers, and nomads is described with admiration as a “cultural and genuine virtue” based on sincere generosity. On the other hand, the hospitality of the ruling class and the nobility is interpreted as a “social-political tool” for displaying power, gaining benefits, and reciprocal transactions, and is often viewed with a pessimistic view. Furthermore, the analysis showed that a misunderstanding of complex cultural codes such as "customs" played a fundamental role in shaping this dual perspective and reinforcing misunderstanding among Western observers. Ultimately, this article explains that the image of Iranian hospitality in these sources, rather than being a reflection of a single reality, is the product of the confrontation of the external observer's perspective with the cultural and social complexities of Iran