Cultural Mediation and Gatekeeping in Dubbing of American Feature Films on Iranian Television

Abstract

ABSTRACT This qualitative study investigated mediation and censorship in the Persian dubbing of a sample of American feature films broadcast on Iranian national television to get insights into the details of these gatekeeping practices in recent years. The results revealed that many verbal and nonverbal instances relating to sexuality, Christian rituals and symbols, violence, insults and profanity, out of marriage relationships, and sensitive political references were identified inappropriate and edited out in the dubbed versions on account of religious, socio-cultural, and political considerations. The achieved results of the study have immediate pedagogical applications for dubbing practitioners, translators, students, and educators.