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Saeed Keshavarzi

Social Psychology

Inter-group relations, migration, collective action, identity processes, and activism

Dr. Saeed Keshavarzi is a social psychologist and sociologist specializing in inter-group relations, collective action, social movements, identity processes, activism, and migration. He is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Osnabrück, where he works with Prof. Dr. Julia Becker on the social-psychological aspects of migration. He is also an associate member of SFB 1604 (from Dec 2024). He is particularly interested in the A1 project of SFB, led by Prof. Dr. Julia Becker, which focuses on the production and maintenance of migrant and non-migrant figures, as well as the associated prejudices.

Saeed earned his PhD in sociology from Shiraz University, where he focused on social groups, specifically examining environmental collective actions in Iran. After graduation, he worked as an independent scholar, primarily focusing on various aspects of migrant-host interactions, particularly concerning Afghan immigrants in Iran. He is interested in bringing scientific insights from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups into the sociology and psychology literature. His works appeared in reputed journals such as Political Psychology, the British Journal of Social Psychology, the Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology and the Journal of Youth Studies.

Journal Publications

Veronica, C., Stathi, S., Lucarini, A., Keshavarzi, S., Ruhani, Ali., Ebrahimi, F., & Vezzali, L. (In press). How prototypical Are We compared to Them? The Role of the Group Relative Prototypicality in Explaining the Path from Intergroup Contact to Collective Action. British Journal of Social Psychology.

Keshavarzi, S., Jetten, J., Ruhani, A., Fuladi, K., & Cakal, H. (2024). Caught between two worlds: Social identity change among second-generation Afghan immigrants in Iran. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 34(5), e2881. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2881

Pizarro, J. J., Cakal, H., Méndez, L., Zumeta, L. N., Gracia-Leiva, M., Basabe, N., Navarro-Carrillo, G., Cazan, A.-M., Keshavarzi, S., López-López, W., Yahiiaiev, I., Alzugaray-Ponce, C., Villagrán, L., Moyano-Díaz, E., Petrović, N., Mathias, A., Techio, E. M., Wlodarczyk, A., Alfaro-Beracoechea, L. … Páez, D. (2024). Sociopolitical consequences of COVID-19 in the Americas, Europe, and Asia: A multilevel, multicountry investigation of risk perceptions and support for antidemocratic practices. Political Psychology, 45, 407–433. https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12930

Keshavarzi, S., Saunders, C., & Karimi, M. (2023). Persistent Anti-Littering Activism in a Non-Western Context: The Case of the Nature Cleaners Movement in Iran. Society & Natural Resources, 36(10), 1181–1199. https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2023.2201809

Ruhani, A., Keshavarzi, S., Kızık, B., & Çakal, H. (2023). Formation of hatred emotions toward Afghan refugees in Iran: A grounded theory study. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 29(4), 355–364. https://doi.org/10.1037/pac0000685

Keshavarzi, S., Cakal, H., Ruhani, A., Dakhil-Abbasi, G., & Ünver, H. (2023). Mental health and intentions to quit among nurses in Iran during COVID-19 Pandemic: A social identity approach. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 33(3), 690–707. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2666

Keshavarzi, S., Askari-Nodoushan, A., Ruhani, A., & Cakal, H. (2022). From dreams to possibilities: the role of gender and family income in aspirations among youth in the city of Yazd. Journal of Youth Studies, 26(7), 823–842. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2022.2053664

Keshavarzi, S., Cakal, H., Ruhani, A., & Dakhil-Abbasi, G. (2021). Workplace violence and turnover intentions among nurses: The moderating roles of invulnerability and organisational Support – A cross-sectional study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 00, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15997

Keshavarzi, S., McGarty, C., & Khajehnoori, B. (2021) Testing social identity models of collective action in an Iranian environmental movement. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. 31: 452– 464. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2523

Cakal, Huseyin, Darío Páez, José J Pizarro Carrasco, Nekane Basabe, Larraitz N Zumeta, Marcela Gracia, Saeed Keshavarzi, et al. (2020). Tell me what you are like and I will tell you what you believe in: Social representations of COVID-19 in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Papers on Social Representations. 29 (2). 1-38. https://psr.iscte iul.pt/index.php/PSR/article/view/558

Keshavarzi, S., Ruhani, A., & Hajiheidari, S. (2020). Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical Ethnography. Qualitative Sociology Review, 17(4):104-117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.17.4.06