Iran's Borderlands and the 2022–23 Protests: Evolving Dynamics of Socioterritorial Movements

ABSTRACT This article analyses the often‐overlooked yet crucial role of people from borderland communities in understanding the mobilization of social movements, particularly in the context of the protests in the aftermath of the death in custody of Mahsa Jina Amini on September 16, 2022. Grounded in the concept of “socioterritorial movements” introduced by geographer Bernardo Mançano Fernandes, the study employs this analytical framework to investigate the dynamics within two emblematic case studies: Sistan‐Baluchistan and Iran's Kurdish regions. The research unfolds in two stages. First, the study examines the central protagonists of these socioterritorial movements, unraveling how actors from the periphery of these regions became pivotal figures within the movements. This analysis sheds light on the shifts in power dynamics and social mobilization that occurred. Second, the research scrutinizes the development of critical voices, with a specific emphasis on those originating from the Sunni communities within the Kurdish and Baluchi regions. This analysis seeks to reveal how these voices evolved and played a significant role in shaping the sociopolitical landscape during the 2022–23 uprising. To gather empirical data, ethnographic fieldwork was undertaken between October 2022 and April 2023, spanning a 6‐month period. Interviews with key informants involved in the movements provided qualitative data on motivations, strategies, and experiences. Participant observation during events and actions related to the socioterritorial movements offered rich, contextual data. Supplementary data were derived from the analysis of more than 20 social media channels used by Kurdish and Baluchi communities, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socioterritorial movement. This article contributes to social movement analysis by highlighting the significance of people from borderland communities in shaping the dynamics of protests, emphasizing the transformative role played by actors from the periphery, and elucidating the evolution of critical voices within socioterritorial movements in Iran's borderlands.