While imagological works in the field of American Studies have traditionally focused on the construction of America by outsiders, this study takes a new approach by examining U.S. self-imaging efforts in the context of U.S. international broadcasting to Iran. The author traces the history of the Voice of America’s Persian Service and illustrates its conflict-prone organizational framework and modus operandi by considering legal documents, government reports, and personal interviews. As the inductive programming analysis and the case study of Simaye Amrica show, the Persian Service pursues a twofold image cultivation strategy by aiming to shape Iranian perceptions of the U.S. government in its news and political shows and perceptions of the American people in its arts and cultural programs.

Yasmin Djabarian studied American Studies and Communication at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and American University in Washington. As a doctoral candidate, she spent two semesters at Georgia State University in Atlanta and received a three-year scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation. She completed her PhD at JGU Mainz in 2017.