بررسی و تحلیل بازتاب مفاهیم سوسیالیستی در شعر مطبوعاتی افغانستان (مطالعۀ موردی مجلۀ ژوندون)

Introduction

Socialist realism, as one of the influential literary movements of the twentieth century, profoundly impacted contemporary Afghan literature. This school, which viewed art as serving social transformation and reflecting class realities, significantly shaped the journalistic poetry of the country during a specific period. The present study focuses on Zhwandoon magazine—one of the most important political, cultural, and literary publications in Afghanistan in the latter half of the twentieth century—to systematically examine the reflection of socialist concepts in the poems published within it. The primary objective is to elucidate how socialist ideology and its related themes, such as class struggle, social justice, peace, freedom, and the role of laborers, are represented in the poetry of this era. The research method is descriptive-analytical, and data has been collected through a content study of poems by prominent poets of this movement in Zhwandoon magazine. Findings indicate that the poetry published in this magazine, in addition to its literary value, functioned as an ideological medium, playing a role in guiding public opinion and reproducing the dominant discourse of its time.

Literature Review

Direct research on the reflection of socialism in the journalistic poetry of Afghanistan is very limited. Within the broader field of contemporary Afghan literature, studies such as that by Mohammad Danishgar and colleagues have focused on the intertextual analysis of mythic-epic themes in socialist realism poetry, showing that this movement represents one of the most prolific periods of Persian poetry in Afghanistan. However, examining Zhwandoon magazine as the primary platform for publishing these poems and analyzing the socialist concepts within it constitutes a significant research gap that this study aims to fill.

Methodology

This research, adopting a qualitative method and a descriptive-analytical approach, examines the reflection of socialist concepts in poems published in Zhwandoon magazine. The research data consists of poems by well-known poets such as Asadullah Habib, Dastgir Panjshiri, Sulaiman Layeq, Rahim Elham, Nasrullah Raha, Sharbat Baqeri, Alishah Nashad, Gharib Nawaz, Nasim Kamju, Heshmat Rabi, Nazeer Ahmad Zafar, and Zakiyah Rastagar, which were published during the magazine's active period (particularly from the 1950s to the 1980s AD). By analyzing the content of these poems, key socialist concepts and themes have been extracted and categorized.

Discussion and Analysis

Socialist realism, as a literary school, emerged after the Russian October Revolution of 1917, based on Marxist-Leninist philosophy. This school viewed literature not merely as a reflection of reality but as a tool for the conscious critique, interpretation, and change of society towards the realization of socialist ideals. Its characteristics included committed realism, highlighting the positive hero from the working class, historical optimism towards the ultimate victory of justice, and the use of simple, comprehensible language for the masses.
Zhwandoon magazine, established in 1949 AD by order of King Mohammad Zahir Shah, was a mirror of Afghanistan's political and social transformations throughout its life. During the Decade of Democracy (the 1960s), a relatively open political climate led to a flourishing press and the emergence of various intellectual discourses, including leftist thought. Zhwandoon became an important platform for intellectuals and poets concerned with justice and social critique. With the coup of 1973 and especially the Marxist coup of 1978 and the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979, the political landscape changed drastically, and journalistic poetry took on a stronger ideological tone. The pages of Zhwandoon became filled with poems that directly or indirectly promoted socialist ideals, praised the Soviet Union, encouraged class struggle, and criticized previous systems. The poems of this period often had a slogan-like, propagandistic quality and were presented in new poetic forms such as Nimaic and free verse.

Conclusion

The analysis of poems from Zhwandoon magazine shows that socialist concepts were reflected in various ways in the journalistic poetry of Afghanistan:

Praise of Labor and the Working Class: Workers and peasants were celebrated as the main heroes of society and the pillars of progress. Their hardships and struggles were depicted, and emphasis was placed on their lost rights.
Struggle Against Inequality and Class Oppression: The poetry of this period strongly criticized class disparity, exploitation, and social injustices, insisting on the necessity of revolution to create a just society.
Love for the Homeland and Resistance: Alongside the international socialist discourse, love for Afghanistan and calls for resistance against occupiers and internal enemies, using national and mythical symbols, formed a strong theme.
Call for Unity and Solidarity: Poets called upon the people, especially the laborers, to unite, avoid division, and rally around common ideals to overcome oppression.
Role of Youth and Women: Youth, as the engine of revolution, and women, as symbols of purity, awareness, and struggle, held prominent positions in these poems. Emphasis was placed on their active participation in social and political spheres.
Ideals of Freedom, Peace, and Justice: Concepts such as freedom (“hurriyat”), world peace, friendship among nations, and social justice were fundamental values praised in these poems.
Symbolism: The use of symbols like the "red flag", "hammer and sickle", "mountain" (symbolizing steadfastness), "dawn" (symbolizing a bright future), and "storm" (symbolizing revolution) contributed to the richness of imagery and the transmission of the ideological message.

In summary, socialist journalistic poetry in Zhwandoon magazine was a complex phenomenon formed at the intersection of art, politics, and ideology. On one hand, these poems expressed the ideals, pains, and demands of a segment of Afghan society during the turbulent period of the Cold War and internal transformations. On the other hand, they served as a tool for promoting and consolidating the dominant political discourse after the 1978 coup. Studying these poems not only deepens our understanding of the history of contemporary Afghan literature but also opens a window towards understanding the intellectual, social, and political transformations of this country in the mid-twentieth century. Zhwandoon magazine, as a rich archive, has preserved a literary-historical heritage whose analysis is essential for researchers in the fields of literature, history, and social sciences.