Urban Planning
Mohammad Mehdi Azizi; Samane Soltani
Abstract
The management of metropolitan buffer zones (peri-urban areas) faces complex conflicts arising from spatial conservation imperatives, private property rights, and urban development pressures. Prevailing planning approaches and management instruments, which primarily focus on physical control and land-use ...
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The management of metropolitan buffer zones (peri-urban areas) faces complex conflicts arising from spatial conservation imperatives, private property rights, and urban development pressures. Prevailing planning approaches and management instruments, which primarily focus on physical control and land-use regulation, often fail to account for or manage the social, institutional, and legal dynamics governing these spaces. While certain frameworks utilize tangible indicators such as population density, economic activity, and land use as analytical benchmarks, other studies emphasize qualitative dimensions, including community, identity, and structural interdependencies. This conceptual divergence highlights a significant gap in urban and regional planning knowledge regarding the management of peri-urban spaces.
Consequently, the primary objective of this research is to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the formation of spatial and property conflicts in metropolitan buffer zones and to identify effective criteria and indicators for their integrated management. Adopting a qualitative approach based on Grounded Theory (the Corbin and Strauss model), this study focuses on the buffer zone of Tehran’s District 13 as a case study. Data were gathered through an analysis of laws and regulations pertaining to buffer zone management, a review of urban planning documents, and semi-structured interviews with landowners and key stakeholders. Data analysis followed a multi-layered strategy to explain the interplay between institutional structures, planning policies, and the experiences of local actors.
The findings indicate that the institutional framework for buffer zone management is primarily rooted in a logic of physical control and lacks transparent mechanisms for resolving property rights, providing compensation, or ensuring stakeholder participation in decision-making. As a result, the gap between the objectives of development plans and the institutional capacity for their implementation has led to legal ambiguities and spatial conflicts. Data analysis led to the identification of “legal uncertainty of land status” as the core category. Accordingly, by proposing criteria and indicators for integrated management, this research emphasizes the necessity of transitioning from control-oriented approaches toward participatory, transparent, and rights-based governance models in the management of metropolitan buffer zones.
Urban Planning
Reza Azimi; Naser Barakpur
Abstract
Highlights
• Homelessness in Iran is shaped by a dual policy gap in definition and policy targeting.
• The dominance of a supply-oriented housing approach has marginalized low-income groups.
• Lack of formal data systems has rendered homelessness invisible in housing policymaking.
• Housing policies ...
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Highlights
• Homelessness in Iran is shaped by a dual policy gap in definition and policy targeting.
• The dominance of a supply-oriented housing approach has marginalized low-income groups.
• Lack of formal data systems has rendered homelessness invisible in housing policymaking.
• Housing policies have reinforced structural inequalities through financialization processes.
• Policy evaluation (process and effectiveness) reveals a disconnect between development plans and lived housing realities.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Housing is widely recognized as a fundamental human right; however, global evidence indicates an escalating housing crisis, with millions experiencing inadequate housing or homelessness. Although homelessness is a multidimensional phenomenon rooted in economic, social, and institutional structures, its strong linkage with housing systems makes it a central concern in urban policy and planning.
In Iran, despite the visible expansion of various forms of homelessness ranging from street homelessness to hidden housing insecurity this phenomenon remains largely absent from formal housing policy discourse. The lack of an official definition, combined with criminalization-oriented approaches and insufficient data systems, has contributed to its marginalization. This study evaluates the position of homelessness within Iranian housing policies and examines how housing policies have contributed to the reproduction or prevention of homelessness through their goals, interventions, and outcomes.
Theoretical Framework
This study is grounded in Clapham’s tripartite framework of housing policy analysis, encompassing rational, political, and structural approaches. These perspectives enable a multi-dimensional understanding of policy processes, including goal attainment, power relations, and the broader structural conditions shaping housing outcomes. The framework facilitates linking policy evaluation with the dynamics of homelessness within the housing system.
Methodology
The research adopts a qualitative approach based on a policy evaluation strategy, encompassing process evaluation and effectiveness evaluation. The study relies on documentary analysis across three analytical levels: (1) conceptualization of homelessness, (2) analysis of policy documents and development programs, and (3) assessment of policy outcomes and impacts. At the first and second levels, a process evaluation is conducted using political and rational lenses to identify implementation barriers and the gap between discursive goals and actual outputs. At the third level, an effectiveness evaluation is applied through a structural lens to analyze the causal relationship between macroeconomic housing policies and the long-term socio-economic impacts on vulnerable groups and the phenomenon of homelessness.
Results and Discussion
Findings reveal a systematic disjunction between stated policy objectives and actual outcomes. While the process evaluation identifies significant deviations in resource allocation, quantitative targets for housing production have often been met, yet indicators such as housing poverty and affordability have deteriorated. The analysis shows that housing policy in Iran is dominated by a supply-oriented paradigm, where housing production serves as an economic driver rather than a social right. The evaluation of policy effectiveness indicates that the absence of reliable data and the criminalization of certain forms of homelessness have led to its exclusion from policy priorities. Structural factors, including housing financialization, have further intensified inequality, pushing vulnerable groups into persistent rental dependency and chronic housing insecurity.
Conclusion
The study demonstrates that homelessness in Iran is the outcome of a dual policy gap: the absence of clear definitions and the misalignment between interventions and target groups. Unlike previous studies that have mainly examined homelessness or housing policies separately, this study evaluates the place of homelessness within Iranian housing policy across three analytical levels: conceptualization of the phenomenon, policy content, and policy outcomes. The overall evaluation of policy process and effectiveness suggests that housing policies have shifted from addressing social needs toward supporting economic objectives, particularly the expansion of the construction sector. Furthermore, the disconnect between development programs and the lived realities of low-income populations remains a key barrier. The findings indicate that without a shift toward recognizing homelessness as a policy priority and ensuring the effectiveness of social housing interventions, the current supply-oriented strategies will continue to reproduce structural inequalities in the housing market.
Urban Planning
Fatemeh Sadat Sajedi; Seyed Mahdi Khatami
Abstract
The contemporary world is experiencing rapid urbanization, with approximately half of the global population now residing in urban areas. However, if urbanization and urban development are not adequately managed, they can engender profound challenges, including inequality, social exclusion, and widening ...
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The contemporary world is experiencing rapid urbanization, with approximately half of the global population now residing in urban areas. However, if urbanization and urban development are not adequately managed, they can engender profound challenges, including inequality, social exclusion, and widening social divides within cities. In response to these challenges, this study addresses the lack of a systematic, ethically grounded framework for the concept of the "inclusive city" in urban studies. The primary objective of this research is to establish an ethical foundation for understanding the position and dimensions of an inclusive city. This is achieved by providing a multidimensional definition of urban inclusivity through a systematic literature review and an ethical evaluation based on four normative ethical theories: consequentialist (teleological), deontological, virtue, and contractarian ethics. The present study employs a qualitative research design, utilizing a systematic literature review (SLR) framework coupled with an inductive thematic analysis strategy for data analysis. The systematic review was conducted using the Web of Science database. Following a three-stage screening process based on the PRISMA guidelines, 48 peer-reviewed articles were selected for the final analysis. Subsequently, the core themes of the inclusive city were extracted from the selected literature using inductive thematic analysis. Finally, these extracted themes were analyzed as the underlying dimensions of the inclusive city through the lens of normative ethical theories. The thematic analysis reveals that the inclusive city possesses a multidimensional structure comprising four overarching themes: (1) socio-political justice; (2) physical form, accessibility, and urban infrastructure; (3) governance, participation, and planning processes; and (4) sustainability, environment, and quality of life. The ethical evaluation demonstrates that these dimensions are not merely technical or tactical planning objectives; rather, they constitute profound and strategic ethical imperatives. Consequentialist ethics frames inclusivity as the maximization of collective welfare subject to prioritizing constraints; deontological ethics grounds it in the inalienable rights and inherent dignity of every citizen; virtue ethics posits it as the manifestation of good governance and civic virtue; and contractarian ethics interprets it as the realization of a just social contract. This research offers an innovative synthesis of contemporary urban studies and normative ethics. By systematically bridging the "what" (dimensions) and the "why" (ethical foundations) of inclusive cities, this study provides a coherent, multidimensional conceptual framework for urban planners, designers, policymakers, and researchers to foster more equitable and inclusive cities for the future.
Urban Planning
Mohammad Reza Haghi; Mojtaba Lorzangeneh
Abstract
Modern cities have become increasingly vulnerable to human-induced threats such as warfare, as they have become increasingly reliant on centralized and complex networks for the delivery of infrastructural services. The present study aims at re-interpreting the garden-city model as a traditional and historical ...
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Modern cities have become increasingly vulnerable to human-induced threats such as warfare, as they have become increasingly reliant on centralized and complex networks for the delivery of infrastructural services. The present study aims at re-interpreting the garden-city model as a traditional and historical pattern of settlement to enhance the city’s resilience against wartime threats. The city of Khansar in Iran has been chosen as a case study. The research is based on a future-oriented paradigm and uses a descriptive-analytical method with structural analysis. Data were collected using a systematic literature review and the Delphi technique, with 15 experts in the fields of urban planning, disaster management and passive defense. Cross-impact analysis and MICMAC software were used to analyze the data and to investigate the relations of 23 variables affecting urban resilience under wartime conditions. The results show that among the research variables, 8 key variables of city scale, spatial dispersion and deconcentration, water resource security, biodiversity and natural infrastructure, ecosystem services of green spaces, public participation, economic diversity and community self-organization are the main driving and two-fold variables of the resilience system of Khansar and maintain a critical position in both direct and indirect analysis. The analysis of three alternative scenarios suggests that Khansar, with its natural and spatial assets (springs and qanats, extensive orchards, small urban scale, and dispersed structure) and social capital (active mosques, vibrant religious ceremonies, and kinship ties in historical neighborhoods), has great potential to be a “model city” for wartime resilience, provided that urban planning and crisis management consider the simultaneous activation of these drivers, especially the strengthening of social capital and the local economy. Otherwise, the continuation of the current trends including the extensive destruction of orchards, contamination of groundwater resources through traditional wastewater disposal and weakening of social interactions in new neighborhoods will lead to increasing dependency on external networks and the collapse of the city’s resilience in future crises. The findings indicate the necessity of preparing integrated plans and operational scenarios based on the identified key drivers, including the quantitative and qualitative protection of water resources, the increase of food self-sufficiency through the development of organic agriculture and local cooperatives, multifunctional use of orchards as green corridors, the empowerment of neighborhoods through the establishment of local crisis management councils, the dual-purpose equipping of mosques as emergency bases, the economic diversification through agro-processing industries and sustainable tourism, to enhance the adaptability of garden-city patterned settlements to complex human-induced threats.
Urban Planning
esmail Dalir; Morad Nasiri; Saman Abizadeh; Masoomeh Amoozadeh
Abstract
HighlightsSignificant spatial inequality in urban safety exists across Ardabil, with District 3 ranked highest and District 5 lowest.Social trust, building quality, and sense of place are the strongest determinants of urban safety.Physical and social factors exert greater influence than technological ...
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HighlightsSignificant spatial inequality in urban safety exists across Ardabil, with District 3 ranked highest and District 5 lowest.Social trust, building quality, and sense of place are the strongest determinants of urban safety.Physical and social factors exert greater influence than technological and managerial indicators.An integrated, multi-dimensional policy approach is essential to address the interplay of physical, social, economic, environmental, and governance factors in urban safety. IntroductionUrban safety and security are multidimensional and key phenomena in urban studies. A safe city is one that, while reducing physical and psychological threats, provides the basis for promoting the sustainable well-being and security of its citizens. In examining the relationship between safety and the urban environment, two basic dimensions can be considered: the social dimension, encompassing behavioral and institutional aspects, and the structural dimension, encompassing physical and spatial characteristics related to urban safety and security. From this perspective, urban safety requires the simultaneous analysis of physical, social, service-related, and perceptual indicators. Safety assessment in urban environments is also commonly conducted based on two categories of criteria: objective criteria, such as crime statistics, accident rates, and infrastructure quality, and subjective criteria, including citizens’ perceptions of safety, in which factors such as lighting, visibility, and social cohesion play important roles. In addition, indicators such as the quality of green spaces, air pollution, access to health services, employment opportunities, and the level of preparedness for natural disasters can also influence urban safety. Overall, the combination of these indicators and their comprehensive analysis provides a more accurate understanding of the state of urban safety and security.Theoretical FrameworkStudies in the field of urban social geography indicate that urban safety and the quality of the urban environment are directly related. Urban safety encompasses the reduction of violence, crime, corruption, natural disasters, and accidents. Urban safety indicators include physical-spatial dimensions (land-use mix, building quality, and street lighting), social dimensions (citizen participation and trust, and social cohesion), economic dimensions (wealth distribution and access to opportunities), environmental dimensions (green spaces, pollution, and flooding), and infrastructural and technological dimensions (CCTV cameras, digital security, and smart systems). Theories and approaches in this field address objective and subjective factors (fear of crime and the broken windows theory), environmental design (CPTED, defensible space, and crime prevention through urban design), social activities (everyday activities and participatory security), new and digital technologies (smart cities and digital security), environmental factors (risks and environmental quality), and comprehensive approaches (social order, spatial justice, third places, the right to the city, and human-centered safety). These theories emphasize that urban safety is a multidimensional phenomenon and that improving it requires the simultaneous integration of physical, social, economic, environmental, and technological indicators.MethodologyThis study employed a descriptive-analytical approach to identify key urban safety variables across physical-spatial, social, economic, environmental-infrastructural, and technological-managerial dimensions. Primary data were collected through field surveys using a structured questionnaire administered to 383 residents of Ardabil aged 15–65 years, selected through stratified random sampling. Expert evaluations (n = 10) were conducted using the snowball sampling method to assign weights to the indicators. The data were analyzed using SPSS, and a combined WASPAS and TOPSIS approach was applied to rank the five urban districts based on their levels of safety and security, allowing for a nuanced assessment of the relative influence of each variable.Results and DiscussionThe findings of this study indicate significant variations in urban safety and security across the districts of Ardabil. According to the ranking, Districts 3, 1, 2, 4, and 5 showed descending levels of urban safety. TOPSIS analysis identified the key influencing factors in order of importance as follows: social trust, building quality, sense of place, street lighting, wealth distribution, access to employment, green space quality, CCTV coverage, flood safety, civic participation, land-use mix, access to healthcare, air and noise pollution, access to online urban services, and smart traffic management. Social factors (trust, participation, and sense of place) had the greatest influence, followed by physical-environmental factors, while managerial and technological factors had the least influence. Overall, urban safety in Ardabil reflects the interplay of social capital, built-environment quality, and urban governance, highlighting the need for an integrated, multi-dimensional planning approach.ConclusionThe study revealed that urban safety in Ardabil is unevenly distributed across districts, with social factors such as trust, participation, and sense of place playing the most decisive roles, followed by physical-environmental conditions, while managerial and technological indicators showed weaker influence. These findings highlight that urban safety is not solely the outcome of policing but also results from the interaction among social capital, the built environment, and governance. Therefore, adopting an integrated and multi-dimensional approach is essential to improving urban safety and equity across the city.
Urban Planning
Hashem Dadashpoor; Mana Vahidbafandeh; Mohammad Mehdi Panahi; Maede Dadashpour
Abstract
Highlights
Interaction among institutions at the local, national, and international levels is essential for establishing effective and transparent governance in sister-city relations.
By moving beyond the traditional symbolism of sister-city partnerships, urban diplomacy has increasingly focused ...
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Highlights
Interaction among institutions at the local, national, and international levels is essential for establishing effective and transparent governance in sister-city relations.
By moving beyond the traditional symbolism of sister-city partnerships, urban diplomacy has increasingly focused on issue-oriented network coalitions to strengthen local soft power.
The sustainability of transnational urban mechanisms depends on rational decision-making, institutionalized implementation, and data-driven evaluation to enhance learning and resilience.
The effectiveness of sister-city relations requires a transition from broad, non-binding agreements toward selective and limited forms of cooperation based on institutional capacity and clearly defined shared issues.
Introduction
In recent decades, the city has moved beyond its traditional role as an administrative unit of national governments to become a major arena for transnational action. International relations and urban studies increasingly view cities as networks of human, knowledge-based, and institutional capital capable of participating in diplomacy, meaning-making, and the exercise of soft power. Alongside the shift from state-centered models toward multi-level governance, this transformation has contributed to the emergence of “city diplomacy” as a form of local foreign policy. Within this framework, cities act as intermediary actors, managing relations, negotiations, and transnational cooperation through intercity networks and international institutions.
Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework of this study views sister-city relations as a practical mechanism of city diplomacy within a multi-level governance framework. In this context, cities operate as transnational actors and strengthen their development capacities and soft power through institutional, economic, cultural, and knowledge-based cooperation. The framework combines three approaches: the institutional-functional approach, which focuses on governance structures and operational mechanisms; the network approach, which examines interactions within international city networks; and the development-oriented approach, which emphasizes policy learning, knowledge transfer, and sustainable urban development. Together, these approaches guide the analysis of the literature and the identification of the main dimensions of sister-city relations.
Conceptualizing City Diplomacy and Sister-City Relations
Sister-city relations refer to international agreements established between two or more cities in different countries with the aim of promoting economic, cultural, social, educational, scientific, and environmental cooperation. These relationships are generally non-binding in nature; that is, they are primarily established through memoranda of understanding and, unlike formal intergovernmental treaties, do not impose legally enforceable obligations. Nevertheless, in practice, they may lead to stable and long-term cooperation.
Historical Development of Sister Cities and Their Role in City Diplomacy
The origins of sister-city relations can be traced back to the period following the Second World War, when local communities in war-affected countries, particularly in Europe, sought to rebuild trust, promote peaceful coexistence, and reduce international tensions. Some of the earliest examples of such cooperation emerged between cities in the United Kingdom and Germany and focused primarily on cultural, educational, and social exchanges aimed at fostering solidarity among local communities. Although these relationships were initially symbolic and peace-oriented, their functions gradually expanded in parallel with changes in the international system.
Methodology
This study employed a systematic review to collect, evaluate, and synthesize academic and policy evidence on city diplomacy and sister-city relations. Through thematic analysis, it examined the development of the literature and identified key components relevant to the governance and policymaking of intercity relations. This method was selected because the literature is dispersed across the fields of international relations, urban planning, multi-level governance, and network studies. To reduce selection bias and improve transparency, the search and screening process followed the PRISMA framework.
The review covered English-language sources published between 2000 and 2025 and Persian-language sources published between 1385 and 1405 in the Solar Hijri calendar. International databases included Scopus, Web of Science, Springer, and Google Scholar, while Persian sources were retrieved from SID, Magiran, IranDoc, and Noormags.
In addition to academic publications, relevant policy and strategic documents on municipal international relations, particularly those related to Tehran and national intercity cooperation, were reviewed. Their inclusion enabled an assessment of the gap between academic knowledge and practical implementation.
Results and Discussion
Publication trends show a steady increase in research on city diplomacy and sister-city relations, with the highest volume of publications recorded during 2020–2025. The literature is structured around three interconnected layers: governance and institutional regulation, strategic implementation, and learning and networking. “Multi-level integration” emerged as the dominant theme, supported by institutional networking, data-driven decision-making, and structured implementation. Overall, sister-city planning can be understood as a dynamic, network-based, and learning-oriented process.
Conclusion
The effectiveness of sister-city relations depends on institutional coherence, rational decision-making, structured implementation, and network-based cooperation rather than on symbolic agreements alone. Sustainable outcomes require long-term institutionalization, effective municipal coordination, and continuous learning. In Iranian cities, institutional fragmentation, managerial instability, and weak evaluation mechanisms remain the main barriers to effective city diplomacy.
Acknowledgment
This article is derived from the research project entitled “Designing a Strategic Planning Model for the Tehran Metropolis to Utilize the Capacities of Sister-City Partnerships,” supported by the Tehran Municipality Research and Studies Center.
Urban Planning
Mojtaba Rafieian; Nafiseh Zahed
Abstract
HighlightsThis study conducts a systematic literature review and qualitative analysis to examine research on Family-Friendly Cities published between 1995 and 2025.Bibliometric analyses identify major research trends, thematic clusters, and research gaps within the Family-Friendly City literature.The ...
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HighlightsThis study conducts a systematic literature review and qualitative analysis to examine research on Family-Friendly Cities published between 1995 and 2025.Bibliometric analyses identify major research trends, thematic clusters, and research gaps within the Family-Friendly City literature.The qualitative analysis develops a framework comprising six principal dimensions of the Family-Friendly City.Family-Friendly City planning has evolved from a primary emphasis on physical infrastructure toward broader objectives of sustainability and urban livability.The limited body of research conducted in the Global South underscores the need for context-sensitive urban approaches that respond to local socio-spatial conditions. IntroductionThe rapid growth of urbanization and the increasing complexity of family life have encouraged scholars and urban planners to reconsider the relationship between urban environments and family well-being. The concept of the family-friendly city (FFC) emerged in the mid-1990s as an approach aimed at creating urban environments that support diverse family structures, improve quality of life, and strengthen social sustainability. Since its emergence, various cities have developed policies and planning strategies addressing issues such as housing affordability, public spaces, childcare services, transportation accessibility, and social inclusion.Despite growing attention to this concept, the literature still lacks a comprehensive theoretical understanding of what constitutes a family-friendly city and how its dimensions and indicators should be defined. Existing studies have often focused on specific aspects of family life, such as family-friendly housing, child-friendly environments, workplace policies, or social services, resulting in a fragmented understanding of the concept. Moreover, previous research has mainly concentrated on developed countries, particularly in North America and Europe, while family needs and urban challenges in developing contexts remain insufficiently explored.Therefore, this study aims to address this knowledge gap by systematically reviewing existing research on family-friendly cities and developing an integrated conceptual framework. The study seeks to answer three main questions: How has the concept of the family-friendly city evolved over time? What are the main dimensions and indicators that define this concept? And what conceptual framework can explain the characteristics of a family-friendly city?Theoretical FrameworkThe theoretical foundation of this study is based on the understanding that the family-friendly city is a multidimensional urban approach located at the intersection of family needs, urban planning, sustainability, and social justice. Unlike earlier approaches that primarily emphasized physical improvements, contemporary interpretations consider the city as a supportive environment for families across the life course, including children, working parents, older adults, single-parent households, and multigenerational families.The concept draws upon broader urban theories related to sustainable development, livability, inclusive planning, and social well-being. A family-friendly city is understood as an urban environment that provides equitable access to affordable and diverse housing, safe public spaces, accessible transportation, employment opportunities, social services, and participatory governance mechanisms.Based on the qualitative synthesis of previous studies, this research conceptualizes the family-friendly city through six interconnected dimensions: spatial, social, economic, environmental, governance and participation, and temporal dimensions. These dimensions reflect not only the physical characteristics of urban environments but also social relations, institutional arrangements, family participation, and work–life balance.MethodologyThis research adopts a systematic review and qualitative synthesis approach to examine the evolution and characteristics of family-friendly city studies. The literature search was conducted in the Scopus and Web of Science databases, covering publications from 1995 to 2025. The inclusion criteria focused on studies directly related to family-friendly urban planning and excluded studies limited to workplace family policies or non-urban family services.Following the removal of duplicates and the application of screening criteria based on the PRISMA protocol, 57 articles were selected for final analysis. The study employed bibliometric techniques, including citation analysis and keyword co-occurrence analysis, using VOSviewer software to identify research trends, conceptual networks, and major thematic clusters.In addition to the bibliometric analysis, a qualitative review of the selected studies was conducted. Through qualitative coding and thematic analysis, key concepts, dimensions, indicators, and conceptual relationships were identified. This combination of quantitative mapping and qualitative interpretation enabled the development of a comprehensive conceptual model of the family-friendly city.Results and DiscussionThe findings reveal that research on family-friendly cities has experienced a fluctuating growth pattern between 1997 and 2025, with a significant increase in publications after 2019 and a notable turning point around 2020. The United States represents the leading geographical context, accounting for the largest share of publications and citations, indicating a strong concentration of knowledge production in North America and Europe.The bibliometric analysis identifies several major thematic clusters, including social and perceptual dimensions, housing and public space, urban planning and mental health, life course and diversity, sustainability and livability, urban policies and family, and urban development. These clusters demonstrate a conceptual transition from early studies focusing mainly on physical infrastructure toward broader approaches emphasizing sustainability, social inclusion, and quality of life.The qualitative analysis indicates that the family-friendly city consists of six major dimensions. The spatial dimension emphasizes affordable housing, accessible services, safe public spaces, and sustainable transportation. The social dimension highlights social capital, community interaction, diversity, and family support networks. The economic dimension focuses on employment opportunities and economic conditions that support family stability. The environmental dimension addresses safety, sustainability, and healthy living environments. The governance and participation dimension emphasizes family involvement in decision-making processes. Finally, the temporal dimension considers work–life balance and the changing needs of families throughout different stages of life.The findings also reveal that family-friendly planning should not be interpreted merely as the creation of attractive urban spaces for middle-class families. Some studies indicate that urban renewal and family-oriented policies may reproduce social inequalities when they overlook issues such as displacement, affordability, and spatial justice. Therefore, a truly family-friendly city requires an inclusive approach that recognizes diverse family forms and varying socio-economic conditions.ConclusionThis study provides a comprehensive review of the evolution, theoretical foundations, and dimensions of the family-friendly city concept. By integrating bibliometric evidence with qualitative analysis, it develops an interdisciplinary framework that moves beyond fragmented interpretations and presents the family-friendly city as a multidimensional urban planning approach.The results demonstrate that the concept has evolved from a narrow focus on physical facilities and housing toward a broader framework integrating sustainability, livability, inclusion, governance, and social justice. The proposed framework highlights that creating family-friendly cities requires coordinated attention to spatial structures, social relationships, economic opportunities, environmental quality, participatory governance, and the temporal needs of families.However, the dominance of studies from North America and Europe and the limited attention given to cities in the Global South remain important research gaps. Future studies should investigate how cultural, economic, and institutional differences influence the implementation of family-friendly urban policies across diverse urban contexts. Overall, the family-friendly city approach provides a valuable conceptual foundation for developing more inclusive, sustainable, and livable urban environments that support families across different stages of life.
Urban Planning
Aliakbar Salaripour; Sara Nikmard Namin; Mohammad Nouripour sedehi; Zahra Ahmadi
Abstract
Highlights
Events as an operational mechanism: Public events function as core methodological instruments in strategic-operational planning, rather than mere symbolic gestures.
A practical step-by-step model: The study introduces a scalable, procedural model for integrating public events throughout ...
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Highlights
Events as an operational mechanism: Public events function as core methodological instruments in strategic-operational planning, rather than mere symbolic gestures.
A practical step-by-step model: The study introduces a scalable, procedural model for integrating public events throughout the urban visioning process.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
In recent decades, Iran’s urban planning system has faced persistent criticism regarding the inefficacy of conventional master and detailed plans. These top-down frameworks have largely failed to address the dynamic needs of contemporary cities or meet the expectations of citizens, practitioners, and policymakers. Consequently, strategic planning—centered on formulating a shared, long-term vision—has emerged as a compelling alternative. While numerous studies have addressed participatory planning theoretically, few have examined the empirical, step-by-step implementation of participatory visioning in a real-world context. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing ‘Rasht’s Civic Event 1422’, a public initiative designed to formulate a shared vision for the city of Rasht within its strategic-operational planning framework. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the stages of ‘event-readiness’ in achieving a shared vision, thereby offering a replicable practical model for other Iranian municipalities.
Theoretical Framework
The theoretical foundation of this research rests on three interconnected pillars: participatory strategic planning, collaborative visioning, and event-based public engagement.
Participatory strategic planning asserts that effective urban strategy must originate from an inclusive visioning process involving municipal management, the private sector, civil society, and the general public. Participation legitimizes decision-making, broadens perspectives, and enhances social capacity. However, the literature warns that participation remains tokenistic unless it actively empowers citizens and fosters robust stakeholder networks.
Collaborative visioning is defined as a collective process through which community members identify their current identity, core values, and future aspirations. Successful visioning requires two essential elements: a comprehensive baseline assessment of present conditions and genuine public engagement. Without these, visions remain bureaucratic exercises rather than living social contracts.
Events and festivals (including public gatherings and carnivals) are proposed here as strategic catalysts for engagement. Events create unique socio-linguistic spaces where citizens, institutions, and urban environments converge. They facilitate dialogue, foster a sense of belonging, and amplify diverse voices, including those of marginalized groups. Based on this synthesis, the study developed a conceptual framework (Figure 1) positing that effective visioning occurs when citizens, urban institutions, and physical space interact through event-driven dialogue. This interaction generates a shared language and a mutual understanding of collective values.
(Figure 1. Conceptual Framework)
Methodology
This research employs a policy analysis methodology within an extended framework that incorporates qualitative textual analysis. The study followed a four-step process:
Step 1: Literature Review: Examining the theoretical foundations of participation, visioning, and event-based planning.
Step 2: Textual Analysis: Refining the conceptual framework and conducting qualitative content analysis of national, regional, and local strategic documents, alongside international case studies.
Step 3: Pre-event Process Analysis: Collecting multi-dimensional data through:
900 structured questionnaires across Rasht’s five districts (Cochran’s formula, 0.08 margin of error).
30 in-depth interviews with citizens.
50 semi-structured interviews with experts, elites, and city council members (snowball sampling).
Consultations with 102 thematic working group participants and 25 district-level stakeholders.
Step 4: Event Analysis: The primary public event, ‘Rasht’s Civic Event 1422’, was held on July 16, 2023, in the pedestrian zone of Rasht’s Municipality Square. The event engaged approximately 500 adults and 100 children through: (a) interactive mapping of local challenges and assets; (b) a children’s drawing workshop titled ‘My Lovable City’; and © a ‘fingerprint voting’ system for prioritizing vision themes.
Results and Discussion
The findings demonstrate that event-based visioning is both feasible and effective, provided that participation is embedded throughout the entire planning cycle rather than treated as a final validation step. Key results include:
Divergent Priorities: A significant gap was observed between elite and citizen priorities. While experts emphasized smart governance and integrated management, citizens prioritized tangible, everyday concerns: river restoration, efficient public transport, waste management, and family-friendly public spaces. This divergence underscores the necessity of early-stage citizen involvement.
Synthesized Vision: The final vision statement (Horizon 1422/2043) successfully synthesized 29 strategic axes prioritized by the public.
Creation of ‘Language Spaces’: The event transformed the pedestrian square—a site of collective identity—into a platform for face-to-face interaction between planners and the public. Children’s drawings added a crucial intergenerational dimension, revealing desires for safety and nature often overlooked in formal technocratic documents.
Structural Barriers: Despite the event’s success, deep-seated challenges remain, including bureaucratic centralization, lack of managerial stability, and historical mistrust. Some citizens’ reluctance to participate in ‘fingerprint voting’ highlighted a lingering skepticism regarding whether their input would manifest as tangible change.
Conclusion
This research provides an empirically grounded model for utilizing public events as legitimate policy instruments that bridge the gap between technocratic planning and lived experience. The study concludes that:
Genuine participation requires citizen involvement from the earliest stages of problem identification, not just during final prioritization.
Sustainability of Participation: The effectiveness of public events is contingent upon their continuity. Consistent follow-up and oversight mechanisms are essential to enhance participatory capacity and strengthen citizens’ agency. Without such continuity, participation risks being reduced to a superficial, one-off exercise.
Institutionalization: ‘Event-readiness’ must be institutionalized within municipal frameworks through dedicated budgets, transparent feedback loops, and continuous reporting to the public.
Structural Reform: Without addressing the underlying pathologies of urban governance—such as bureaucratic resistance and systemic distrust—even the most well-designed events may remain symbolic gestures rather than drivers of participatory democracy.
Urban Planning
Hamideh Boghrati; Toktam Hanai
Abstract
HighlightsThis study integrates a meta-method approach with a systematic review of 28 Web of Science articles (2010–2024) to develop a comprehensive framework for assessing tourism impacts on historical urban areas.The proposed framework supports urban planners and heritage managers by identifying ...
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HighlightsThis study integrates a meta-method approach with a systematic review of 28 Web of Science articles (2010–2024) to develop a comprehensive framework for assessing tourism impacts on historical urban areas.The proposed framework supports urban planners and heritage managers by identifying methodological gaps and promoting integrated mixed-method approaches.The study highlights the limited attention paid to socio-cultural dimensions despite their importance for sustainable tourism management.The framework contributes to evidence-based decision-making for balancing tourism development with heritage conservation. IntroductionThe rapid growth of tourism has generated considerable economic and cultural benefits while simultaneously imposing increasing environmental pressures on historical urban areas and local ecosystems (UNWTO, 2020). High tourist concentrations contribute to pollution, traffic congestion, excessive waste generation, and the degradation of cultural landscapes, threatening both environmental quality and social sustainability (Ricaurte et al., 2023). These challenges are particularly evident in historical urban fabrics and World Heritage Sites, where sensitive physical structures and cultural values require careful protection (García-Hernández et al., 2017; Yawer et al., 2022).In developing countries such as Iran, limited environmental planning and fragmented policymaking have reduced the effectiveness of tourism impact assessment (Sharpley & Telfer, 2014). Despite possessing exceptional cultural and historical assets (UNESCO, 2021), many Iranian historic cities have experienced increasing environmental degradation, pressure on natural resources, and deterioration of heritage sites as tourism has expanded (Holden, 2016). Mashhad, Iran's largest religious tourism destination, exemplifies these challenges, receiving millions of visitors annually while facing growing environmental and infrastructural pressures (Statistical Center of Iran, 2022).Although previous studies have examined tourism impacts using either quantitative or qualitative approaches, few have integrated both perspectives within a comprehensive methodological framework. Assessing environmental impacts in historical urban areas requires the simultaneous analysis of measurable indicators, such as pollution and traffic, alongside qualitative dimensions, including stakeholder perceptions and socio-cultural change. Therefore, this study adopts a meta-method approach to review existing methodological practices and answer the following research question:How can a meta-method approach provide a more comprehensive framework for assessing the environmental impacts of tourism on historical urban fabrics than conventional research methods? Theoretical FrameworkThis study is grounded in sustainable development theory (Brundtland, 1987) and the concept of sustainable tourism, which seeks to balance economic development, environmental protection, and socio-cultural well-being. In historical urban environments, uncontrolled tourism growth has intensified environmental degradation while placing increasing pressure on cultural heritage and local communities (Gössling & Hall, 2005; Holden, 2016).The research adopts a meta-method approach (Sterman, 2000; Watkins et al., 2010), which integrates qualitative and quantitative evidence to capture the multidimensional nature of tourism impacts. Unlike mono-method studies, this approach combines environmental indicators—such as pollution, traffic, and resource consumption—with qualitative evidence derived from stakeholder experiences and cultural perspectives.The methodological framework is further organized using the Saunders Research Onion (Saunders et al., 2016), which structures the research process across philosophical assumptions, methodological choices, research strategies, data collection, and analytical techniques, thereby ensuring methodological transparency and reproducibility.MethodologyThis applied research employs a meta-method approach based on a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Web of Science database between 2010 and 2024. Following predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 28 articles were selected for detailed analysis.A structured coding framework was developed in MAXQDA to extract information on research philosophy, methodological approach, research strategy, data collection techniques, analytical methods, and software applications, including NVivo, ATLAS.ti, SPSS, GIS, and Excel.The Saunders Research Onion served as the organizing framework for integrating methodological layers, while triangulation was employed to validate coding consistency and compare findings across multiple studies. This process enabled the identification of dominant methodological trends, existing research gaps, and opportunities for developing a comprehensive framework for tourism impact assessment in historical urban contexts.Results and DiscussionThe review identified several methodological and thematic trends across the 28 selected studies. From a thematic perspective, natural resource consumption (56%), transportation systems (68%), and economic development (60%) received the greatest research attention. In contrast, socio-cultural dimensions—particularly quality of life, community well-being, and cultural identity—remain comparatively underexplored despite their importance for sustainable tourism management.Methodologically, mixed-method approaches were the most frequently adopted (14 studies, 50%), followed by qualitative (9 studies, 32%) and quantitative approaches (5 studies, 18%). Interpretivism emerged as the dominant research philosophy, reflecting the importance of stakeholder perspectives and contextual understanding. Similarly, the inductive approach and case study strategy each accounted for 20 studies (71%), with Safranbolu, Bordeaux, Porto, and Pingyao representing the most frequently investigated cases.Document analysis was the primary data collection method (17 studies), followed by interviews (10 studies) and observation (9 studies), whereas questionnaires were comparatively less common (4 studies). Among analytical tools, NVivo was the most frequently applied qualitative software, while descriptive statistics remained the dominant quantitative technique, with relatively limited use of advanced methods such as regression analysis and spatial modeling.The review also identified persistent methodological challenges, including limited stakeholder representation, interviewer and respondent bias, restricted generalizability of case-study findings, incomplete sampling frameworks, and the substantial resources required for mixed-method research.Overall, the findings demonstrate that comprehensive tourism impact assessment requires integrating quantitative indicators—including pollution, traffic, and resource consumption—with qualitative evidence related to stakeholder perceptions, cultural values, and community experiences. Such integration provides a more comprehensive understanding of environmental and socio-cultural changes than either approach can achieve independently.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that a meta-method approach, supported by a systematic literature review and qualitative–quantitative synthesis, provides a comprehensive framework for assessing the environmental, social, and economic impacts of tourism on historical urban fabrics.The analysis of 28 Web of Science articles (2010–2024) indicates that environmental issues, transportation systems, and economic development dominate current research, whereas socio-cultural dimensions remain insufficiently addressed despite their significant role in sustainable tourism. Methodologically, mixed-method approaches outperform mono-method designs by integrating measurable environmental indicators with stakeholder experiences and contextual knowledge.The proposed framework offers a practical decision-support tool for urban planners, heritage managers, and policymakers by facilitating evidence-based tourism management while balancing heritage conservation and local development. Its application is particularly relevant to rapidly growing tourism destinations in Iran, such as Mashhad, where increasing visitor numbers place considerable pressure on historical environments and urban infrastructure.Furthermore, the framework is transferable to other historic cities in Iran—including Isfahan, Shiraz, Yazd, Tabriz, and Kashan—as well as comparable international contexts. Future studies are encouraged to expand the empirical application of this framework through larger datasets, advanced analytical techniques such as spatial regression and system dynamics, and more systematic investigation of socio-cultural dimensions, including resident perceptions, cultural identity, and social equity.
Urban Planning
Mohanna Sarvari; Nina Khalighi; Mehdi Saidi
Abstract
Highlights
This research introduces the innovative Gender Equity Experience Index (GEPI), which uniquely evaluates both physical infrastructure and women’s perceived experiences to understand their presence in urban parks.
The findings reveal that improving park infrastructure alone is insufficient ...
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Highlights
This research introduces the innovative Gender Equity Experience Index (GEPI), which uniquely evaluates both physical infrastructure and women’s perceived experiences to understand their presence in urban parks.
The findings reveal that improving park infrastructure alone is insufficient to achieve gender equity, as social, cultural, and economic factors play decisive roles.
A significant gap exists between the provision of physical lighting and women’s perceived sense of safety, primarily due to the lack of effective social surveillance mechanisms.
The study highlights the need for a multidimensional approach that integrates physical design with social, cultural, and economic planning to create inclusive and welcoming urban public spaces for women.
Introduction
International frameworks and theories, including Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space and the concept of the embodiment of space, emphasize that space is socially produced through human interactions. When urban planning fails to address women’s needs, their lived experience of space becomes constrained by insecurity, limited accessibility, and reduced opportunities for participation. In Iranian cities, the dominance of conventional planning approaches has resulted in public spaces that inadequately respond to women’s requirements for safety, accessibility, and comfort.
Previous studies have identified security, activity diversity, and individual characteristics—such as age and marital status—as key determinants of women’s presence in public spaces. Weak security, cultural constraints, and the lack of gender-responsive public services have further reduced women’s participation in urban spaces and intensified spatial inequality. Focusing on Shohada Park in Sanandaj, this study demonstrates that inadequate lighting, insufficient urban furniture, and limited public services have contributed to women’s lower presence despite their substantial share of the city’s population.
Theoretical Framework
This study develops a theoretical framework to examine the factors shaping women’s preferences in urban parks and to evaluate park planning quality from a gender-responsive perspective. The framework draws upon studies of urban parks, women-centered planning, public participation, and women’s use of public spaces.
It assumes that women’s experiences of urban parks are multidimensional and influenced by the interaction of physical, social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors. Accordingly, park quality is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct that reflects both objective physical conditions and women’s subjective experiences. The framework is operationalized through measurable indicators to support practical and gender-responsive urban park planning.
A theoretical framework for analyzing women’s preferences and evaluating park planning quality.
Grounded in the literature on urban parks, women-centered planning, public participation, and women’s use of public spaces.
Women’s experiences are shaped by physical, social, cultural, economic, and environmental dimensions.
Park quality incorporates both objective characteristics and subjective perceptions.
The framework is translated into measurable indicators for practical planning applications.
Methodology
This applied study adopts a mixed-methods (qualitative–quantitative) approach to develop and evaluate the Gender Equity Experience Index (GEPI) across five dimensions. Qualitative data were first used to identify the relevant indicators, which were subsequently tested and quantified through quantitative analysis.
Applied research using a mixed-methods approach.
Development and measurement of the Gender Equity Experience Index (GEPI) across five dimensions: physical, social, economic, cultural, and environmental.
Study population: women aged over 20 years in Sanandaj (population: 148,920; 2016 Census).
Shohada Park was selected as the case study because of its importance as a major urban public space.
Results and Discussion
The findings indicate that women’s presence in Shohada Park is influenced by the combined effects of physical, social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors rather than by physical conditions alone.
The principal innovation of this study is the development of the Gender Equity Experience Index (GEPI), which simultaneously evaluates objective park infrastructure and women’s subjective experiences. The results demonstrate that physical improvements alone cannot achieve gender equity in urban public spaces. Instead, social cohesion, cultural acceptance, economic opportunities, and environmental quality are equally important in shaping women’s experiences and encouraging their presence.
Conclusion
The findings demonstrate that increasing women’s presence in urban parks requires more than physical improvements. A multidimensional approach that simultaneously addresses social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors is essential for creating equitable and inclusive public spaces.
The study introduces the Gender Equity Experience Index (GEPI) as a practical, policy-oriented tool for evaluating public spaces from a gender equity perspective through the integration of qualitative and quantitative evidence.
The results also highlight several planning priorities, including improving restroom facilities, providing multipurpose public spaces, expanding cultural programs, strengthening affordable commercial services, enhancing children’s play facilities and urban furniture, and increasing both actual and perceived safety through improved lighting and social surveillance.
By incorporating economic and cultural dimensions within a mixed-methods framework, the study provides a more comprehensive understanding of women’s experiences in urban public spaces. Nevertheless, the research is limited by its focus on a single park and its cross-sectional design. Future studies should employ comparative and longitudinal approaches to validate and expand the proposed framework across different urban contexts.
Ultimately, achieving safe, inclusive, and gender-responsive urban spaces requires a fundamental reconsideration of conventional urban planning approaches.
Acknowledgment
This article is derived from a Master’s thesis in Urban Planning titled 'Planning Urban Parks Based on the Needs and Preferences of Women: A Case Study of Shohada Park, Sanandaj,' presented at the University of Kurdistan by the first author, supervised by the second author and consulted by the third author.
Urban Planning
Erfaneh Ghanbari; Mehrnaz Molavi; Saber Mohammadpour; Sahand Lotfi
Abstract
HighlightsConceptual Innovation: Reconceptualizes consensus as an independent, multidimensional phenomenon in urban planning through rigorous inductive thematic analysis.Core Thematic Identification: Defines six foundational pillars: facilitated participatory processes, stakeholder engagement, discourse ...
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HighlightsConceptual Innovation: Reconceptualizes consensus as an independent, multidimensional phenomenon in urban planning through rigorous inductive thematic analysis.Core Thematic Identification: Defines six foundational pillars: facilitated participatory processes, stakeholder engagement, discourse and communicative action, conflict management, power dynamics, and adaptive management.Operational Framework: Proposes an integrated, dynamic conceptual model designed to guide planners and stakeholders through complex, multi-scalar urban decision-making.Process-Oriented Approach: Emphasizes continuous feedback loops, adaptive learning, and iterative interaction as essential mechanisms for sustainable planning outcomes. IntroductionThe contemporary urban landscape is defined by profound economic, social, and political transformations, which often exacerbate conflicting values and competing stakeholder interests. Consequently, urban planning approaches have shifted toward consensus-building as a necessary strategy for reconciling these differences and achieving collective goals. Consensus serves as a critical mechanism for establishing shared objectives and fostering the mutual understanding essential for successful policy implementation. In the absence of consensus, urban plans risk overlooking diverse perspectives, which often leads to implementation failure, deepening social inequalities, and a decline in institutional trust.Despite the acknowledged importance of consensus since the shift from technocratic to pluralistic planning in the 1970s, it remains a conceptually underdeveloped area in planning theory. Existing literature often treats consensus as a subordinate component of conflict resolution rather than a distinct, multidimensional concept. This study addresses this scholarly gap by identifying the primary organizing themes of consensus and proposing a robust conceptual model for urban planning. The paper further examines the complex, dialectical interactions between these themes to illustrate how they collectively facilitate consensus formation in urban governance.Theoretical FrameworkConsensus, in both classical and contemporary discourse, is understood as a form of social and political interconnectivity that fosters fair convergence toward common interests across various scales—from global to hyper-local. Within urban planning, this phenomenon is particularly critical at the meso (regional) and micro (neighborhood/local community) levels.This research draws upon an interdisciplinary theoretical foundation, integrating Habermas’s “Communicative Action Theory,” Lefebvre’s “Right to the City,” contemporary “Pluralism,” Foucault’s critical perspective on “Power,” and “Complexity Theory.” These theoretical lenses provide the necessary depth to analyze the multidimensionality of consensus. Following scholars like Neves (2016), we define consensus not as a static or forced agreement, but as a gradual, deliberative, and non-coercive process. In this view, active collaboration among all stakeholders is imperative, ensuring that outcomes not only satisfy mutual needs but also cultivate long-term trust and social cohesion. By mapping the obstacles that frequently undermine these processes, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the tensions inherent in seeking collective harmony.MethodologyThis study employs a systematic qualitative thematic analysis, utilizing an inductive, bottom-up approach to extract insights from the literature. The analytical process involved manual coding of extensive scholarly texts until theoretical saturation was reached. Through this iterative process, initial codes were categorized into sub-themes, which subsequently coalesced into six overarching “organizing themes of consensus in planning.” To ensure methodological robustness, these themes were validated through theoretical triangulation and cross-referenced with established empirical studies. The internal linkages and interdependencies among these themes were then synthesized to construct a unified, operational conceptual model for achieving consensus in real-world planning practice.Results and DiscussionThe thematic analysis identified six core dimensions: “facilitated participatory process,” “stakeholders and actors,” “discourse and communicative action,” “conflict management,” “power relations and dynamics,” and “adaptive management.” These themes are deeply interrelated, forming a symbiotic system where the failure of one component can destabilize the entire consensus-building process.The validity of these themes is firmly grounded in the aforementioned theories (Habermas, Lefebvre, Foucault, etc.). The study demonstrates that consensus is a systemic outcome of these six pillars working in concert. For instance, without a critical understanding of power relations, discourse often fails to be truly communicative, and conflict management becomes merely performative rather than transformative.ConclusionThe proposed conceptual model offers a versatile framework for guiding participatory planning across various cultural, political, and legal contexts. By proactively addressing conflict through the lens of power and dialogue, the model facilitates more equitable and sustainable outcomes. Our findings suggest that successful consensus requires an integrated approach where “facilitated participation” acts as the vessel for “stakeholder engagement,” while “communicative action” and “power awareness” serve as the diagnostic tools for identifying and resolving core conflicts. Finally, “adaptive management” ensures that policies remain resilient through continuous monitoring and learning. While this model provides a strong theoretical and practical contribution to contemporary planning, it also acknowledges the inherent practical limitations of consensus-building in highly fragmented urban environments. Future research should focus on applying this model to diverse case studies to further refine its empirical application.
Urban Planning
Zeinab Adeli; Azin pirasteh
Abstract
Highlights
Comprehensive Assessment: Systematic, multi-scalar analysis of the correlation between 22 distinct urban form indicators and primary air pollutants across all 22 administrative districts of Tehran.
Spatial Determinism: Empirical confirmation of the decisive role of urban spatial structure ...
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Highlights
Comprehensive Assessment: Systematic, multi-scalar analysis of the correlation between 22 distinct urban form indicators and primary air pollutants across all 22 administrative districts of Tehran.
Spatial Determinism: Empirical confirmation of the decisive role of urban spatial structure and morphological patterns in modulating air quality variations.
Introduction
Despite occupying less than three percent of the Earth’s surface, contemporary cities are the primary drivers of anthropogenic pollution, exposing a vast global population to hazardous air quality with severe public health and economic repercussions. While vehicular emissions and fossil fuel consumption are the dominant sources of atmospheric pollutants, local climatic conditions, complex topography, and—critically—urban form exert a profound influence on pollutant dispersion and concentration. Recent scholarship has increasingly focused on the nexus between urban morphology and air quality, suggesting that land-use patterns and spatial configurations can significantly attenuate or exacerbate the accumulation of pollutants. However, much of the extant research has been geographically limited or focused on restricted sets of environmental indicators.
Tehran, as a rapidly expanding megacity characterized by industrial development, high population density, and intensive motorized transport, serves as a critical case study for this environmental challenge. This research aims to investigate the complex relationship between various urban form indicators and air pollution levels across Tehran’s 22 districts. Specifically, the study seeks to answer: What are the primary morphological indicators affecting air quality, and what are the specific correlations between these urban form dimensions and major pollutants (CO, O₃, NO₂, SO₂, and PM2.5)? This understanding is essential for shifting towards more sustainable urban planning paradigms.
Theoretical Framework
This study conceptualizes the city as a dynamic system where physical form and environmental processes are inextricably linked. The research operationalizes urban form through 22 metrics categorized into four strategic dimensions: environmental design, land use, accessibility, and density. By meticulously calculating the quantitative values of these metrics for each district, the study provides a robust empirical basis for evaluating the spatial distribution and intensity of pollutants.
The correlation between these indicators and annual pollutant concentrations is analyzed to assess how spatial and design configurations influence urban environmental performance. This research adopts an applied analytical approach, utilizing quantitative spatial data to delineate the association between the dense urban fabric of Tehran and the magnitude of pollutants. Pearson’s correlation coefficient is employed as the primary statistical tool to establish the strength, direction, and structural significance of these bivariate dependencies. By integrating concepts from urban morphology and environmental science, this research offers a comprehensive understanding of how strategic spatial interventions can be leveraged to enhance urban environmental resilience.
Methodology
This research is an applied study utilizing a quantitative-statistical approach. The primary objective is to analyze the correlation between urban form indicators and air pollution across Tehran’s 22 districts. Data regarding the concentration of pollutants (CO, SO₂, NO, O₃, and PM2.5) were compiled from official air quality monitoring station archives and longitudinal environmental reports.
The indicators of urban form were categorized based on a thorough literature review, followed by the definition of standardized quantitative measures for each. Subsequently, the Pearson correlation test was performed to test the null hypotheses concerning the relationships between independent variables (urban form metrics) and dependent variables (pollutant concentration). This method allows for a clear evaluation of linear relationships within the high-density urban environment of Tehran, facilitating the identification of critical morphological factors that correlate with air quality degradation.
Results and Discussion
The Pearson correlation analysis revealed a diverse range of relationships between urban form and pollutant concentrations. Statistically significant positive correlations were observed between “residential unit density” and pollutants such as CO, SO₂, NO₂, and PM2.5, confirming that high-density residential areas—often associated with increased traffic and energy consumption—are more susceptible to air quality issues. Similar trends were noted for “gross population density” and “distance traveled,” which show a strong positive correlation with SO₂ and NO₂ emissions, underscoring the role of transport and human intensity in pollution cycles.
Conversely, indicators associated with sustainable urban design, such as “public transport network length” and “per capita green space,” demonstrated inverse relationships with several pollutants. For instance, increased green space coverage was negatively correlated with SO₂ and CO levels, suggesting a significant mitigating effect. However, the study also encountered complex nuances; for example, while some indicators like “pedestrian and bicycle path length” showed negative associations with SO₂, they exhibited positive correlations with others, indicating that the impact of urban form on air quality is multifaceted and highly dependent on the specific pollutant under examination.
Conclusion
This study provides empirical evidence that urban form is a fundamental determinant of air pollution distribution. By analyzing 22 morphological indicators, the research confirms that structural characteristics—such as land-use intensity, density, and spatial connectivity—directly influence the accumulation of CO, SO₂, NO₂, and PM2.5. The results suggest that urban air quality is not merely a product of emissions, but also a result of how urban space is organized. Therefore, to mitigate air pollution, urban planners must move beyond traditional emission-control policies and embrace strategic spatial planning. Targeted interventions in density management, the enhancement of green infrastructure, and the optimization of accessibility can act as effective tools for long-term environmental management and sustainability in the Tehran metropolitan area.
Acknowledgment
We sincerely acknowledge all those who provided scientific support for this research.
Urban Planning
Roya Moghabeli; Alireza Mohammadi; Mohammad Hassan Yazdani
Abstract
HighlightsSpatial clustering of building code violations identified using GIS-based methods.Central districts exhibit higher densities of permit-related violations.Peripheral areas are dominated by non-permit constructions.Hot spot analysis and Local Moran’s I reveal statistically significant clusters.Findings ...
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HighlightsSpatial clustering of building code violations identified using GIS-based methods.Central districts exhibit higher densities of permit-related violations.Peripheral areas are dominated by non-permit constructions.Hot spot analysis and Local Moran’s I reveal statistically significant clusters.Findings support spatial justice-oriented interventions and urban management reform. IntroductionBuilding code violations represent a major urban management challenge in many developing countries. These violations are not merely infractions of technical and legal regulations but often reflect deeper systemic issues, such as weak governance, ineffective land policies, inadequate monitoring systems, and institutional inefficiencies. Despite the presence of regulatory frameworks such as Article 100 of the Iranian Municipal Act, enforcement in practice often takes the form of financial penalties rather than effective deterrents, leading to the widespread normalization of unauthorized construction.In Iran’s mid-sized cities, including Ardabil, such violations increasingly affect urban planning processes, undermine spatial justice, degrade environmental quality, and accelerate informal urban growth. Nonetheless, relatively few studies have examined building violations from a data-driven, GIS-based perspective. This research addresses this gap by conducting a spatio-temporal analysis of building code violations, with the aim of providing a clearer picture of violation patterns, identifying institutional bottlenecks, and offering evidence-based recommendations for urban management reform. Theoretical FrameworkThis study is grounded in three complementary theoretical perspectives. Spatial Justice Theory emphasizes that uneven enforcement of urban regulations produces spatial inequalities, whereby areas with weaker oversight experience higher concentrations of violations and consequently lower levels of environmental and social equity. Broken Windows Theory suggests that tolerance of minor infractions fosters broader regulatory non-compliance and urban disorder, underscoring the importance of early and consistent intervention. Complex Urban Systems Theory conceptualizes cities as dynamic systems in which localized violations can propagate spatially and temporally, generating emergent patterns at the city scale.Operationally, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide an effective framework for translating these theoretical perspectives into spatially explicit analysis. In this study, GIS-based techniques—including Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), Average Nearest Neighbor (ANN), Standard Deviational Ellipse, Hot Spot Analysis (Getis–Ord Gi*), and Local Moran’s I—are used to examine clustering, density, directional trends, and statistically significant spatial patterns of building code violations.MethodologyThe study adopts an applied, descriptive–analytical research design. The dataset consists of 23,897 building code violation cases recorded by the Article 100 Commission of Ardabil Municipality during 2021–2022 (1400–1401 SH). Each record includes information on violation type, geographic coordinates, date of registration, and administrative district. All cases were geocoded and analyzed across Ardabil’s five municipal districts and 44 neighborhoods using ArcGIS software.A multi-model spatial analysis framework was implemented. Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) was used to identify high-density areas of violations; the Average Nearest Neighbor (ANN) index was applied to assess the overall pattern (clustered, random, or dispersed); the Standard Deviational Ellipse was used to capture the main directional trend of violations; and Hot Spot Analysis (Getis–Ord Gi*) together with Local Moran’s I were employed to detect statistically significant clusters and outliers of high and low violation intensity. The analytical focus was on uncovering spatial patterns, identifying areas of concentrated violations, and comparing temporal changes between the two study years.Results and DiscussionThe results indicate that building code violations in Ardabil are spatially uneven and highly clustered rather than randomly distributed. Three dominant categories of violations were identified. The most frequent category involved non-compliance with permit conditions, typically reflecting deviations from approved building plans. The second most common category was exceeding authorized floor area, indicating systematic overbuilding beyond the legal limits. The third major category consisted of construction without any permit, predominantly observed in peripheral and rapidly urbanizing areas.Spatial analysis showed that central and semi-central districts—particularly Districts 2 and 3—exhibited the highest density of permit-related violations. These areas correspond to zones of higher land value and intensified development pressure, where economic incentives appear to outweigh regulatory compliance. In contrast, peripheral districts displayed a higher proportion of non-permit constructions, likely influenced by weaker monitoring capacity, lower formal land supply, and stronger informal development dynamics.Hot Spot Analysis (Getis–Ord Gi*) and Local Moran’s I confirmed the presence of statistically significant high–high clusters of violations along central development corridors, while cold spots were observed in some outer districts. These cold spots may partly reflect lower levels of reporting and enforcement rather than genuine compliance with building regulations. Directional analysis using the Standard Deviational Ellipse revealed a northeast–southwest axis of concentration, aligning with Ardabil’s main growth and transportation corridors.Temporally, the total number of recorded violations declined by approximately 11% from 2021 to 2022. While this reduction may indicate improved enforcement or a slowdown in construction activity, the persistence of hotspots in central districts suggests that violations remain a structural and spatially embedded challenge rather than a purely episodic phenomenon.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that building code violations in Ardabil exhibit distinct spatial and temporal patterns shaped by regulatory practices, development pressures, and uneven monitoring capacity. Peripheral districts are characterized by a predominance of non-permit constructions, while central areas concentrate overbuilding and permit deviations. The findings highlight the limitations of penalty-based enforcement and underscore the need for proactive, spatially targeted monitoring strategies and more consistent regulatory implementation.By integrating multiple GIS-based analytical tools, the research provides a comprehensive understanding of the geography of building code violations and offers practical insights for urban managers seeking to prioritize interventions in high-risk zones. The study contributes to the urban planning and urban management literature by linking spatial justice concepts with empirical GIS analysis, reinforcing the role of spatial data and spatial statistics in advancing more equitable and effective urban governance.
Urban Planning
Ehsan Darvishi; Ali shamsoddini; Mohammad Hemmati
Abstract
Highlights
Identification of five systemic dimensions hindering entrepreneurship in Iranian new towns.
Institutional–governance fragmentation identified as the primary barrier to urban sustainability.
Proposal of a localized three-level model (Structural, Institutional, Socio-cultural) for ...
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Highlights
Identification of five systemic dimensions hindering entrepreneurship in Iranian new towns.
Institutional–governance fragmentation identified as the primary barrier to urban sustainability.
Proposal of a localized three-level model (Structural, Institutional, Socio-cultural) for Parand.
Transitioning new towns from “dormitory functions” to “innovation-driven ecosystems.”
Leveraging the creative economy as a strategic catalyst for urban resilience and identity.
Introduction
Over more than two decades of implementing new-town development policies in Iran, key objectives such as sustainable employment generation, economic self-sufficiency, and social stability have not been fully realized. Much of the domestic literature and planning practice has remained focused on physical and demographic dimensions, while the systematic conceptualization and localization of sustainable urban entrepreneurship have received limited attention. In contrast, successful international experiences demonstrate that the integration of local institutions, innovation ecosystems, and social participation can significantly enhance urban sustainability and long-term resilience.
Parand New Town—the largest new town in Iran—faces a combination of institutional–governance fragmentation, economic dependency, socio-cultural constraints, technological deficiencies, and spatial inefficiencies. These challenges have collectively prevented the formation of an entrepreneurial ecosystem aligned with sustainable urban development. As a result, Parand has largely maintained a “dormitory town” character, with strong functional dependency on the metropolitan core, rather than evolving into a self-sustaining, innovation-driven urban system. Accordingly, the central research question of this study is: How can a novel, localized, entrepreneurial-oriented model be conceptualized for Parand New Town that draws critically on global experiences while addressing local institutional, economic, and socio-cultural barriers to sustainable urban development?
Theoretical Framework
The study is grounded in contemporary theories of urban entrepreneurialism, sustainable urban development, and the creative economy. While early entrepreneurial-city models emphasized competitiveness, economic growth, and place marketing, more recent approaches highlight collaborative governance, innovation, social capital, and environmental sustainability as essential pillars of urban resilience. International evidence suggests that entrepreneurial success in cities depends on the interaction and mutual reinforcement of governance structures, economic and financial systems, human and social capital, innovation infrastructures, and supportive physical environments.
Based on an extensive review of international and national literature, five fundamental dimensions of entrepreneurial development in new towns were identified:
Institutional–governance,
Economic,
Socio-cultural,
Technological–knowledge-based, and
Physical–environmental.
These dimensions constitute the analytical framework for explaining both barriers and enabling factors in the case of Parand New Town. This framework allows the research to bridge global theoretical debates with context-specific dynamics, thereby contributing to the localization of entrepreneurial and sustainability concepts in the Iranian new-town context.
Methodology
This research is applied in purpose and qualitative in nature, adopting a descriptive–analytical and explanatory approach. A multi-stage research strategy was employed, combining documentary analysis, analytical reasoning, and fieldwork. Documentary analysis focused on international and national studies related to urban entrepreneurship, creative economy strategies, and sustainable development in new towns, as well as policy documents and planning reports relevant to Parand.
In the fieldwork phase, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts, urban planners, academics, and practitioners familiar with Parand New Town and its governance and development processes. Participants were selected using purposive sampling to ensure that a range of institutional, professional, and experiential perspectives were captured. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved and no substantially new themes emerged.
Data were analyzed through thematic analysis using MAXQDA software. The coding process resulted in 136 initial (open) codes, which were refined into 21 intermediate (axial) codes and ultimately synthesized into five overarching thematic categories aligned with the theoretical framework. Throughout the analysis, efforts were made to maintain rigor and trustworthiness through systematic coding, iterative comparison of themes, and careful documentation of interpretive decisions.
Results and Discussion
The findings indicate that the barriers to entrepreneurial development in Parand are structural, interconnected, and multi-dimensional. The institutional–governance dimension emerged as the most dominant and influential theme. Institutional and managerial fragmentation, weak network governance, overlapping mandates, and lack of coordination among local bodies—such as the municipality, the new town development company, and sectoral agencies—have led to policy inconsistency, delays in entrepreneurial projects, and limited social participation. This fragmentation undermines coherent strategic planning and hampers the implementation of integrated entrepreneurial policies.
Within the economic dimension, strong dependence on external financial resources, the absence of local investment and guarantee funds, and weak entrepreneurial urban branding have reduced investment attractiveness and encouraged the out-migration of entrepreneurs to larger metropolitan areas. The lack of diversified local revenue sources and limited support instruments for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) further weaken the economic base of Parand and its capacity to retain creative and entrepreneurial human capital.
The socio-cultural dimension highlights the prevalence of an employee-oriented culture, risk aversion, and a persistent gap between university education and labor market needs. These factors undermine entrepreneurial motivation, weaken local human capital development, and discourage experimentation and innovation. The persistence of informal norms favoring job security over entrepreneurial risk-taking contributes to a fragile entrepreneurial culture in the new town.
The technological–knowledge-based dimension reveals an underdeveloped innovation ecosystem, limited university–industry linkages, and insufficient deployment of smart urban technologies. These shortcomings restrict the growth of knowledge-based entrepreneurship and start-ups and prevent Parand from positioning itself as a node in national and regional innovation networks. The absence of incubators, accelerators, and dedicated innovation spaces further diminishes opportunities for collaboration and experimentation.
Finally, the physical–environmental dimension points to inefficiencies in shared spaces, innovation zones, and flexible urban environments, which limit interaction, collaboration, and creative activities essential for entrepreneurial ecosystems. The spatial structure of Parand, dominated by residential blocks and functionally mono-dimensional land uses, has not been fully adapted to support mixed-use, vibrant, and inclusive urban environments that typically foster entrepreneurial activity.
A comparative analysis with successful international cases—such as Bristol, Florianópolis, Shanghai, and Dublin—demonstrates that these challenges can be addressed through integrated governance systems, localized financial mechanisms, creative economy strategies, and place-based urban design interventions. Drawing on these experiences and the empirical findings, the study proposes a localized entrepreneurial-oriented model for Parand structured across three levels:
Structural–policy level (reforming governance and regulatory frameworks, embedding entrepreneurship in strategic plans),
Institutional–operational level (creating coordinating bodies, local funds, and supportive intermediary organizations), and
Socio-cultural level (fostering entrepreneurial culture, strengthening networks, and enhancing human capital and participatory capacities).
Conclusion
The findings confirm that the creative economy can function as one of the most effective strategies for enhancing urban resilience, sustainable employment, and quality of life in new towns. The case of Parand demonstrates that cultural, creative, and innovation-based capacities can attract creative human capital, strengthen social cohesion, and contribute to economic diversification. An integrated entrepreneurial-oriented model enables new towns to move beyond a purely residential or dormitory function and transform into centers of innovation, value creation, and urban identity.
The results are consistent with international theories such as Florida’s creative class and the urban regeneration perspectives of Scott and Landry, as well as national studies emphasizing the role of creative industries in sustainable development. From a policy perspective, the study highlights the necessity of embedding entrepreneurial and creative economy strategies within urban and regional development plans, strengthening institutional coordination, investing in innovation and cultural infrastructures, and redefining the role of new towns within broader spatial planning policies. In doing so, new towns like Parand can gradually reposition themselves as active, resilient, and opportunity-rich urban spaces rather than peripheral residential extensions of major metropolitan cores.
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to all experts, urban planners, academics, and practitioners who participated in the semi-structured interviews and generously shared their knowledge and professional experiences regarding Parand New Town. Their valuable insights substantially enriched the empirical foundation and analytical rigor of this study. The authors also wish to acknowledge that this article is based on the doctoral dissertation titled “Conceptualization and Development of Novel Entrepreneurial-Oriented Models in New Towns with Emphasis on Sustainable Urban Development (Case Study: Parand New Town).” The research was conducted without any financial support from funding agencies, and there is no conflict of interest.
Urban Planning
Mozaffar Sarrafi
Abstract
HighlightsIran is experiencing a multidimensional crisis of unsustainability across environmental, social, economic, physical, and institutional spatial domains.Spatial underdevelopment is not merely technical or sectoral but a paradigmatic outcome of a dominant development discourse.Conventional spatial ...
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HighlightsIran is experiencing a multidimensional crisis of unsustainability across environmental, social, economic, physical, and institutional spatial domains.Spatial underdevelopment is not merely technical or sectoral but a paradigmatic outcome of a dominant development discourse.Conventional spatial planning in Iran has focused on managing existing conditions rather than enabling normative, future-oriented change.This study employs a problematization-based approach to interrogate the foundations of unsustainable spatial production.A transformative spatial planning framework is proposed, grounded in an alternative development paradigm integrating Iranian civilizational wisdom with global sustainability knowledge.Local communities, spatial institutionalization, and the prioritization of socio-ecological rationality over economic–engineering logic are identified as key drivers of sustainable transformation. IntroductionOver recent decades, Iran has experienced accelerating processes of unsustainability that have disrupted social and ecological equilibria. Declining water availability, environmental degradation, unemployment, spatial inequality, poverty, marginalization, and socio-cultural fragmentation have become persistent features of national development trajectories. Many of these challenges are inherently spatial, materializing most visibly in urban regions through polarized development patterns, informal settlements, environmental risks, and declining quality of life.Although the roots of these crises cannot be reduced solely to spatial factors, spatial planning offers a critical and integrative lens for addressing them. Space constitutes the arena where social, economic, ecological, and institutional processes intersect. Unlike sectoral approaches, spatial planning can integrate these dimensions and contribute to more inclusive and sustainable outcomes.Nevertheless, prevailing spatial planning practices in Iran have largely been reactive, focusing on regulation within an already problematic development paradigm. Rarely have these practices questioned the assumptions shaping development itself. This paper argues that Iran’s pervasive unsustainability results from a dominant paradigm that must be critically challenged and replaced. As a public and normative practice, spatial planning has a central role in facilitating this shift. Accordingly, the study examines the problematics of spatial development in Iran and proposes a transformative spatial planning approach oriented toward sustainability. Theoretical FrameworkThe study is grounded in critical spatial theory, particularly the understanding of space as a socially produced and productive phenomenon. Following Lefebvre, space is conceptualized not as a neutral container but as a dialectical construct shaped by social relations and shaping them in return. Socio-economic processes are inherently spatial, and spatial configurations actively condition social outcomes.Within this framework, spatial development is interpreted as an expression of dominant development paradigms. Under global capitalism, space has increasingly become a medium for capital accumulation rather than a foundation for collective life. This transformation has produced commodification, socio-spatial polarization, social exclusion, and ecological degradation, particularly in the Global South. Iran’s contemporary spatial development broadly follows this logic, shaped by oil-based revenues, centralized governance, weak civil society, and rent-seeking practices in urban land and housing markets. Sustainability, by contrast, is defined as living within ecological limits while ensuring equitable satisfaction of social needs. Achieving sustainability requires transforming prevailing development paradigms and their spatial manifestations. When grounded in a holistic understanding of space, spatial planning can mediate between socio-ecological values and spatial organization.MethodologyThis research adopts a qualitative and conceptual methodology based on the approach of problematization. Rather than treating unsustainable spatial outcomes as isolated technical deficiencies, problematization interrogates the assumptions, discourses, and knowledge systems through which such outcomes have been normalized and reproduced.Drawing on the works of Foucault, Freire, and contemporary critical scholars, this approach challenges dominant ontological and epistemological foundations of spatial development. The analysis seeks to reveal how specific development logics have continuously generated unsustainable spatial patterns in Iran. It operates at two analytical levels: a general level situating Iran within global development dynamics, and a contextual level examining historically and institutionally embedded spatial practices. This dual perspective provides the basis for articulating an alternative, transformative spatial planning approach.Results and DiscussionThe findings indicate that unsustainable spatial development in Iran emerges from the convergence of global capitalist spatial logics and country-specific institutional conditions. At the general level, alignment with a globalized, capital-driven development paradigm has led to the commodification of urban space, the prioritization of exchange value over use value, and increasing socio-spatial polarization.At the contextual level, oil-based revenues, centralized governance, weak participatory mechanisms, and limited institutional accountability have intensified rent-seeking behaviors in spatial development. These dynamics have produced rapid urban growth disconnected from ecological capacity, cultural continuity, and social equity. Traditional Iranian spatial practices, historically adapted to ecological constraints such as water scarcity, have largely been abandoned, resulting in a rupture between space, culture, and environment.Conventional spatial planning has been unable to counteract these trends due to its technocratic orientation and subordination to dominant power structures. The analysis suggests that sustainability cannot be achieved through incremental reforms within the existing paradigm. Instead, a transformative approach is required, one that redefines spatial planning from a tool for managing growth to a practice aimed at enabling socio-ecological resilience and collective well-being.ConclusionThe paper proposes a transformative spatial planning approach for sustainability in Iran based on an alternative development paradigm. This approach emphasizes the integration of renewed Iranian civilizational wisdom with contemporary global sustainability knowledge. Central to this vision are inclusive participation, spatial institutionalization, and the empowerment of local communities as active agents of change.Transformative spatial planning prioritizes socio-ecological rationality over economic–engineering logics, strengthens local governance structures, expands shared public spaces, and fosters social learning processes. Rather than responding reactively to existing problems, it seeks to proactively generate spaces aligned with long-term sustainability objectives.Iran currently stands at a critical historical juncture. Without a fundamental reorientation of spatial development practices, existing crises are likely to deepen. Spatial planners, as agents of transformation, bear a significant responsibility in shaping alternative futures. By adopting critically informed, normative, and forward-looking planning practices, they can contribute to the production of sustainable spaces and to a more equitable and resilient society.
Urban Planning
Aliakbar Salaripour; Mani Talebi Somesaraei
Abstract
HighlightsThe creative city of Rasht possesses material, spiritual, and social capital necessary for the development of Critical Urbanism Pedagogy.Recognition and acceptance of socio-cultural conflicts can help correct ineffective approaches in urban planning education.Expanding critical awareness of ...
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HighlightsThe creative city of Rasht possesses material, spiritual, and social capital necessary for the development of Critical Urbanism Pedagogy.Recognition and acceptance of socio-cultural conflicts can help correct ineffective approaches in urban planning education.Expanding critical awareness of power mechanisms is central to sustaining and developing urban spaces through Critical Urbanism Pedagogy.Creating learning environments and mainstreaming urban planning education requires infrastructure, content production, events, tool-building, and capacity-building in both physical and virtual spaces.Extended Abstract IntroductionUrbanism pedagogy represents a fundamental infrastructure for informed public participation in urban development processes. It reduces the likelihood of errors on the part of both urban management authorities and citizens during the planning and implementation stages. Despite its importance, urbanism education in many contexts—including Iran—has not received sustained attention. Its long-term impacts are often underestimated, and there exists a weak culture of continuous learning. Moreover, a significant gap persists between academic environments and operational fields.In this context, the city of Rasht, recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, provides a valuable case for exploring how Critical Urbanism Pedagogy can be developed. The city’s unique combination of material resources, cultural heritage, and vibrant social capital makes it a fertile environment for piloting innovative approaches to urban education.The central aim of this study is to conceptualize the role, functions, and actors of Critical Urbanism Pedagogy in Rasht and to propose a conceptual–operational model that integrates theory with practice. Theoretical FrameworkThe research builds on several related conceptual traditions:Urban Critical Literacy: enabling citizens to question dominant urban narratives and uncover hidden power relations.Critical Urban Learning: fostering awareness of the socio-political dimensions of urban development.Critical Pedagogy of Place: emphasizing the spatial dimensions of justice, belonging, and cultural identity in education.Critical Consciousness (Freirean tradition): promoting awareness of systemic inequalities and the capacity for transformative action.Analysis of these traditions indicates that global concerns around equity, sustainability, and justice require translation into locally meaningful pedagogical practices. Thus, developing a specific language or grammar of pedagogy is crucial. For Rasht, this means situating urbanism education in the socio-cultural realities of the city while fostering awareness of citizenship rights and responsibilities.The process entails:Recognizing and addressing socio-cultural conflicts, rather than suppressing them.Revising outdated pedagogical approaches that fail to connect education with lived urban experience.Creating educational environments where critical awareness of space, power, and governance can be nurtured.Ultimately, critical pedagogy in urbanism should result in both physical and symbolic spaces where citizens engage in collective reflection and action. MethodologyThe study adopts a qualitative grounded theory approach. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 15 experts, including NGO representatives, university professors, education officials, and urban managers.Open coding: 102 codes identified.Axial coding: reduced to 29 categories.Selective coding: condensed into 8 central themes.This systematic process allowed the extraction of a coherent conceptual–operational model tailored to Rasht’s socio-cultural and institutional context. Results and DiscussionThe proposed model of Critical Urbanism Pedagogy in Rasht unfolds in five sequential stages, each linked to a specific pedagogical approach:Identifying problems through Critical Urban Literacy: encouraging recognition of structural inequalities and deficiencies in urban governance.Accepting and adjusting socio-cultural conflicts through Critical Urban Education: reframing conflicts as opportunities for constructive dialogue and learning.Modifying ineffective pedagogical approaches through Critical Global Citizenship Education: aligning local education with global discourses on sustainability, equity, and democratic participation.Transforming implementation models through Critical Urban Learning: empowering accountable institutions and promoting collaborative governance.Developing learning environments through Critical Pedagogy of Place: creating inclusive physical and virtual environments that support long-term knowledge exchange.These stages highlight that pedagogy is not limited to formal education but extends into urban space itself, conceived as a dynamic learning environment.Operational strategies identified include:Establishing civic discourse spaces, neighborhood educational centers, and specialized urban planning schools.Mobilizing governmental support, philanthropic contributions, and private investment for civic infrastructure.Producing content through traditional forms (documentaries, films, art) and contemporary tools (animations, apps, games, interactive platforms).Expanding discourse-oriented virtual spaces to complement physical environments.The findings suggest that while reforming curricula and institutional structures is necessary, it is not sufficient. True transformation in urban pedagogy requires creating learning environments where citizens, officials, and experts can interact critically and collaboratively. ConclusionThe conceptual–operational model of Critical Urbanism Pedagogy for Rasht provides both theoretical insight and practical guidance. It underscores the need to cultivate critical awareness among citizens, enabling them to engage meaningfully with urban governance and planning processes.The main outcomes are:Establishing learning environments that maximize stakeholder participation.Raising critical consciousness to challenge and revise existing educational and governance structures.Linking local efforts with global agendas, particularly the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.Harnessing the creativity of Rasht’s citizens to co-produce knowledge and sustain educational initiatives.In sum, Critical Urbanism Pedagogy is not merely an academic concept but an operational tool for fostering democratic, equitable, and sustainable urban environments. By integrating cultural assets, critical awareness, and participatory infrastructures, Rasht can serve as a model for other creative cities seeking to align urban development with educational innovation.
Urban Planning
sara vosoughi; Farshad Nourian
Abstract
HighlightsDrawing on a Foucauldian framework, power dynamically reconstitutes legality through competing discourses.Elite urban informality becomes legitimized where power actors construct competing discourses of vested rights during the revision of the Samen district plan.Elite informality is reproduced ...
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HighlightsDrawing on a Foucauldian framework, power dynamically reconstitutes legality through competing discourses.Elite urban informality becomes legitimized where power actors construct competing discourses of vested rights during the revision of the Samen district plan.Elite informality is reproduced through conflicts of power rooted in contradictions within the formal urban planning system.The dualities of central vs. local authority, public vs. private interests, enforcement vs. non-enforcement, and regulation vs. deregulation reinforce elite informality.The reproduction of elite informality challenges the conventional formality/informality binary in urban governance.Extended Abstract IntroductionA significant portion of the literature on informality emphasizes the state’s role in suspending or manipulating the law. Much of this scholarship portrays informality as “from above,” where the state is considered a unified actor with control over legality, and law itself is treated as an objective, stable, and neutral framework for bureaucratic action.However, more recent approaches have shifted toward de-centering the state, conceptualizing power as dispersed and law as indeterminate. In this perspective, law is not a fixed foundation but a socially constructed and continuously contested phenomenon shaped by diverse actors.This article follows this newer trajectory by analyzing the dynamic interconnections between law and power in urban governance. Specifically, it investigates how competing actors—state and non-state alike—mobilize discourses of legality to reproduce elite informality. The case of the Samen district plan in Mashhad provides an instructive example, as it reveals how law, informality, and power interweave in large-scale redevelopment projects. Theoretical FrameworkThis study draws upon a Foucauldian understanding of power and truth to explore how legality is not simply imposed but continuously reconstructed through discursive struggles. Power relations, rather than being external to law, are embedded within it. They determine:Who has authority to interpret legal norms;How concepts such as vested rights are defined;Whose interests are privileged in practice.From this perspective, urban planning processes are not only technical or administrative but discursive arenas where actors compete to shape legality. Informality, therefore, does not merely exist outside formal systems; it emerges from within them, sustained by contradictions and conflicts in governance. MethodologyThe study applies Foucauldian discourse analysis to the concept of vested rights (haghe maktasabeh) in the revision of the Samen district plan.Case context:The Samen district redevelopment project, initiated in the 1990s around the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza, covered 360 hectares.Conceived as a self-financed scheme using land value capture (rent-gap), it envisioned 365 high-density commercial-residential buildings (9–12 floors).To attract investors, Mashhad Municipality implemented extensive deregulation, including:A guaranteed 30% internal rate of return (IRR);Zoning exceptions and exemptions from building regulations;Unauthorized transactions involving third-party assets without owner consent.By the 2010s, the municipality had signed nearly 300 agreements with private entities, banks, and state-owned enterprises. When the plan was revised (2013–2019), disputes arose over whether prior agreements constituted vested rights. Competing claims produced four distinct legal discourses, reflecting deep conflicts between actors.Data collection:15 narrative in-depth interviews with experts and stakeholders;200 official documents (plans, correspondence, approvals, reports);130 unofficial sources (press reports, speeches, institutional websites).Through discourse analysis, the study identifies intra-, inter-, and extra-discursive contestations shaping legality and informality. Results and DiscussionThe findings reveal that the revision of the Samen plan was characterized by competing discourses of vested rights, each linked to specific power configurations. These were classified as:Extralegal discourse – justifying actions outside formal law under exceptional conditions;Extended discourse – expanding prior agreements into broad claims of vested rights;Reconciliatory discourse – seeking compromise between legality and expedience;Argumentative discourse – contesting definitions of legality through legalistic reasoning.Together, these discourses illustrate how elite informality is reproduced not in opposition to the formal planning system but through it. Power struggles embedded in contradictions within the system generate overlapping zones of legality and illegality.Key contradictions include:Central vs. local authority: conflicts between national institutions and municipal power.Public vs. private interests: competing claims over whose rights and benefits are prioritized.Enforcement costs: debates over who bears the burden of compliance and regulation.Regulation vs. deregulation: shifting boundaries between “customary” deregulated practices and formal legal requirements.Through these contestations, vested rights were selectively legitimized, enabling elite actors to pursue projects outside standard planning procedures while maintaining a veneer of legality. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that elite informality in Mashhad’s Samen district was not simply an illegal deviation but a product of discursive power struggles within the planning system itself. Structural contradictions in governance—central/local, public/private, enforcement/non-enforcement, regulation/deregulation—generated competing legal claims that ultimately legitimized elite practices.The result is a reproduction of informality from within formality, where illegal actions are gradually normalized and incorporated into planning processes. This challenges the binary distinction between formal and informal, suggesting that urban governance operates through a fluid continuum of legality and illegality.Power, in this context, does not merely suspend law but actively reshapes it, redefining the boundaries of what counts as legal or illegal. By analyzing vested rights discourses in Mashhad, this article highlights how elite informality is discursively reproduced, posing critical challenges for urban planning systems that seek to uphold legality while accommodating economic and political power.
Urban Planning
Amirhamzeh Shahbazi
Abstract
HighlightsStudent visits to university libraries are low across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels.Students’ field of study significantly affects the frequency of library visits.The functional necessity of precise library location (neighborhood/district/city) is diminishing.University ...
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HighlightsStudent visits to university libraries are low across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels.Students’ field of study significantly affects the frequency of library visits.The functional necessity of precise library location (neighborhood/district/city) is diminishing.University libraries are rapidly adapting their operations to the demands of cyberspace and digital services.Fixed, limited opening hours are decreasingly relevant for library service delivery.Extended Abstract IntroductionThe accelerating diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has transformed how scientific and cultural products are produced, disseminated, and consumed. In the early decades of the twenty-first century—marked by the proliferation of broadband connectivity, social networks, and cloud platforms—individuals and institutions increasingly create and circulate digital content independently of traditional publishers. For urban planners, this raises a critical question: do university libraries—longstanding place-based urban uses—face functional decline similar to once-ubiquitous facilities such as public baths or caravanserais?The emerging practice of “research without visiting the library,” enabled by online databases and virtual services, challenges the historic coupling of library functions with specific locations, radii of influence, and time-bound service windows. This study examines these shifts through a case analysis of three major universities in Zahedan, probing how cyberspace is reconfiguring the spatial and temporal logics of university library use. Theoretical FrameworkAdvances in cyberinfrastructure—high-performance computing, broadband networks, and mass data storage—have catalyzed the rise of digital and smart libraries. These technologies enable accelerated resource discovery, remote access to collections, and user-centered service personalization. In this framework, library management transitions from a primarily place-anchored, schedule-bound model to a platform-based service regime that privileges ubiquitous access, immediacy, and interoperability with research workflows. Consequently, the value proposition of libraries shifts from where services are delivered to how they are integrated into the digital research ecosystem. MethodologyThis applied study employs a descriptive–analytical design. A two-stage random sampling strategy produced a sample of 480 students (undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral) from the University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, and Islamic Azad University of Zahedan. Data were collected via a researcher-developed questionnaire. Content validity was established through expert review by university faculty; reliability was confirmed with Cronbach’s alpha = 0.752.Data analysis combined distributional checks and non-parametric inference: Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk tests assessed normality; given non-normal distributions, the study used Mann–Whitney U, Kendall’s tau-c, Cramér’s V, Kruskal–Wallis (H test), the Sign test, Chi-square, and crosstab analyses to test hypotheses regarding visit frequency, education level and field, device ownership, and access to scientific databases. Results and DiscussionFindings indicate a marked erosion of the traditional, place-dependent model of university libraries:Low visitation rates: 58% of students reported never or rarely visiting the library. Moreover, 44% perceived the role and position of libraries as “much decreased” or “decreasing substantially.”Digital access and perceived decline: There is an inverse, significant relationship between students’ access to scientific databases (e.g., Scopus, SID, ScienceDirect) and their perception of the library’s standing—greater database access corresponds with stronger perceptions of decline.Devices and home infrastructure: Ownership/access to desktop or laptop computers, printers, modems, and smartphones is inversely associated with perceived library centrality. Notably, 39% of students reported having none of these devices; conversely, among those with complete equipment, 75% rated the library’s position as declining—suggesting that digital readiness amplifies functional substitution away from physical facilities.Internet use for academic work: The intensity of Internet use correlates positively with the perception of a diminishing library role (Cramér’s V, p = 0.002): only 35% of students with very low Internet use perceived decline, compared with 69% among heavy users.Education level and visits: Contrary to expectation, higher education level did not translate into more frequent visits. The second hypothesis—linking visit frequency to degree level—was rejected (Kendall’s tau-c, p = 0.16).Field of study effects: The Kruskal–Wallis test confirmed significant differences in visit frequency across fields and faculties, indicating disciplinary variation in the necessity of in-person library use.Overall trend: A Sign test (error level 0.033) supports the conclusion that the position of the library is decreasing as a place-based urban use within the studied university context.Taken together, these results depict a system-level transition: the radius of influence and population thresholds that historically defined library catchments are becoming less predictive of use. Instead, digital access, platform literacy, and disciplinary norms drive engagement patterns, with cyberspace services substituting for on-site visits. ConclusionTraditionally, libraries have been defined by three attributes: (1) a population threshold, (2) a spatial radius of influence, and (3) limited, specific service hours. The cyber revolution decouples all three. University libraries can now deliver core functions independent of place and time, offering 24/7/365 access across effectively unlimited service radii. Evidence from the three Zahedan universities shows that as students’ digital equipment and database access improve, their reliance on physical library spaces declines—and their perception of the library’s centrality diminishes accordingly.These dynamics reframe libraries from location-based land uses into platform-based service providers, a shift likely to intensify with the diffusion of artificial intelligence into discovery, summarization, and recommendation workflows. For urban planners and university library managers alike, the implication is clear: planning, investment, and service design should prioritize hybrid models—robust digital infrastructures complemented by targeted, high-value in-person services (e.g., makerspaces, data labs, scholarly communication support, quiet study environments).Future research should extend the analysis to public libraries and broader citizen populations to assess the generalizability of these findings beyond the university setting and to inform city-wide cultural and educational planning.
Urban Planning
mitra azimi; mohsen afshari
Abstract
HighlightsDespite the implementation of more than 18 development projects, citizenship education in Harandi has not received sufficient attention.Planners often prioritized physical infrastructure over educational empowerment, weakening long-term social sustainability.For neighborhoods such as Harandi—characterized ...
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HighlightsDespite the implementation of more than 18 development projects, citizenship education in Harandi has not received sufficient attention.Planners often prioritized physical infrastructure over educational empowerment, weakening long-term social sustainability.For neighborhoods such as Harandi—characterized by multiple social and physical vulnerabilities—citizenship education is an inevitable necessity for sustainable local development.Extended Abstract IntroductionThe Harandi neighborhood, located on the southern threshold of Tehran near the Cave and Customs Gates, holds both historical and strategic significance within the city’s urban network. Yet, it is simultaneously regarded as one of the main centers of social harm and deprivation. Over the past two decades, municipal authorities have attempted to address its challenges through the preparation and implementation of more than 18 development projects.Despite these efforts, the neighborhood continues to suffer from deep-rooted problems such as drug abuse, poverty, unemployment, and marginalization. While physical and infrastructural projects have been extensively emphasized, the non-material dimensions of development—particularly citizenship education—have remained underexplored. This imbalance has limited the sustainability and long-term effectiveness of the implemented projects.Accordingly, this study investigates the position of citizenship education in Harandi’s development projects, guided by three central questions:What role does citizenship education occupy in Harandi’s development plans?What are the key indicators of citizenship education at the neighborhood level?What strategies can strengthen the position of citizenship education within future urban development programs? Theoretical FrameworkCitizenship education is widely recognized as a process through which individuals develop the knowledge, values, and skills required to engage constructively in society. From a democratic perspective, it is a cornerstone of building social capital, enhancing civic participation, and ensuring long-term urban sustainability.The literature highlights six interrelated dimensions of citizenship education:Legalism – awareness and compliance with laws and regulations;Patriotism and collective responsibility – cultivating loyalty and attachment to the nation and neighborhood;Respect for beliefs, minorities, and customs – fostering tolerance and cultural inclusiveness;Responsibility – encouraging active commitment to personal and collective duties;Civic awareness – understanding social rights, responsibilities, and public affairs;Participation – promoting active involvement in decision-making and community improvement.Democratic theories stress that citizens should be educated not only about their rights but also about their obligations, enabling them to contribute actively to society. In neighborhoods with high levels of vulnerability, such as Harandi, these dimensions are particularly vital, as they can mitigate social harms and empower residents to engage in positive and constructive behaviors. MethodologyThis study is qualitative in nature and employs a multi-step research strategy. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with three groups: neighborhood mayors, members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) active in Harandi, and urban studies experts. Five participants were selected purposefully from each group, yielding a total of 15 interviews.Thematic saturation was achieved with this number of participants. Data were analyzed using coding techniques in MAXQDA software, allowing for the identification of recurrent themes, patterns, and gaps in citizenship education within existing development plans. Document analysis of 18 neighborhood projects further complemented the interview findings, offering a comprehensive picture of planning practices in Harandi. Results and DiscussionThe findings reveal a significant gap between the stated objectives of Harandi’s development plans and their actual implementation.Among the six indicators of citizenship education, civic awareness and participation were relatively more emphasized in official documents. For instance, some plans included provisions for community workshops or participatory decision-making sessions.However, critical components such as respect for beliefs and cultural diversity and legalism received minimal attention. This neglect has arguably reinforced cycles of distrust between residents and institutions, further exacerbating social harms.Indicators such as patriotism and responsibility were superficially mentioned but rarely operationalized in concrete programs.Interviewees, particularly municipal managers, acknowledged that physical improvements (e.g., road construction, façade rehabilitation, park creation) were prioritized over educational empowerment. NGO representatives emphasized that without strengthening civic responsibility and awareness of rights, infrastructural interventions alone cannot ensure sustainable transformation.Comparative analysis of the 18 plans shows that those with modest educational components achieved relatively better outcomes in terms of community acceptance and participation. For example, initiatives involving local NGOs in training sessions for youth and women demonstrated higher levels of trust-building compared to purely physical projects.These findings resonate with global research indicating that development projects in marginalized areas fail when social empowerment and citizenship education are overlooked. Scholars such as Banks and Holston have shown that without civic inclusion, physical regeneration often leads to displacement or deepened inequality. ConclusionThe study highlights the critical role of citizenship education in the sustainable regeneration of socially vulnerable neighborhoods such as Harandi. Based on the analysis, six major contributions of citizenship education to local development can be identified:Strengthening responsibility: Encouraging residents to take responsibility for their environment and community well-being.Increasing participation: Enabling active engagement in civic and political affairs, thereby fostering collaborative governance.Reducing social harms: Empowering individuals with knowledge of rights and responsibilities, which can reduce behaviors linked to addiction, violence, and marginalization.Enhancing solidarity: Promoting mutual trust and cooperation among residents, reducing social fragmentation.Raising legal awareness: Informing citizens of their rights and responsibilities under the law, thus improving compliance and social justice.Empowering communities: Building local capacity to collectively address neighborhood problems and influence urban policy.In summary, the neglect of citizenship education in Harandi’s past development projects has limited their effectiveness. Future planning must integrate educational empowerment alongside physical interventions, ensuring that residents are equipped not only with better infrastructure but also with the civic skills and awareness required for sustainable neighborhood transformation.
Urban Planning
Fatemeh Shams; Mohammad Reza Pourjafar; Seyed Mahdi Khatami; ali soltani
Abstract
Highlights- The prevailing understanding of neighborhoods has lacked a dialectical perspective and has been devoid of social and semantic layers.- Over time, the concept of a neighborhood has evolved from a purely physical entity to a more complex semantic, perceptual, and mental construct.- The traditional ...
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Highlights- The prevailing understanding of neighborhoods has lacked a dialectical perspective and has been devoid of social and semantic layers.- Over time, the concept of a neighborhood has evolved from a purely physical entity to a more complex semantic, perceptual, and mental construct.- The traditional neighborhood, as an identifiable civic entity, comprises four key elements: space, time, citizen, and activity.- Revisiting the core themes of the social ontology of traditional neighborhoods can contribute to the revitalization of contemporary urban neighborhoods.- The social capacities and sociability of a neighborhood form the fundamental themes of the social ontology of traditional neighborhoods.IntroductionOver the past decades, numerous discussions have attempted to define the concept of a neighborhood. Initially, the definition of a neighborhood was rooted in the principle of separation, emphasizing the presence of social boundaries. However, as urban development advanced, the transformation of neighborhoods in the modern era signaled the emergence of new conceptualizations, where planning and design often preceded social structures.Despite extensive academic discourse, a universally accepted definition of a neighborhood remains elusive. Examining the spatial aspects of neighborhoods requires a well-defined theoretical framework that captures the lived experiences of residents and the interrelationship between people, activities, and spaces. The ambiguity in defining neighborhoods stems from the absence of a standardized conceptual framework, resulting in varied interpretations and applications across disciplines. This challenge has hindered the ability of urban scholars to fully grasp the implications of neighborhood effects on social interactions and urban cohesion.Theoretical FrameworkNeighborhoods have long been a focal point of social science research. Sociologists have regarded neighborhoods as "genuine phenomena" with intrinsic social significance. The scientific study of neighborhoods as independent subjects gained traction in the late 19th century. By the 1960s, the concept of the neighborhood had gained prominence within professional communities, yet definitions increasingly overlooked its locational aspects.In the 21st century, social theorists revisited early neighborhood conceptualizations, such as those formulated by the Chicago School, which emphasized demographic characteristics as defining factors. This approach viewed neighborhoods primarily through socio-economic, moral, and racial transformations. However, the perception of neighborhoods gradually shifted from being purely physical constructs to more perceptual and mental entities, characterized by four key dimensions: space, time (history), citizens (individuals, groups, and institutions), and activities or functions.Historical research suggests that the concept of a neighborhood is best understood as a dynamic and evolving process. The "accumulation of similar behavioral patterns" and a "valued perception of a fixed territory" contribute to the neighborhood's identity. Modernity has introduced additional complexities, reinforcing the importance of reevaluating traditional neighborhood frameworks.MethodologyThis study is classified as fundamental research with a qualitative approach. Utilizing a descriptive-analytical method, it employs a systematic review and thematic analysis technique to analyze 36 primary sources. The research follows a six-step process:Immersion in the dataGeneration of primary codesIdentification of themesExamination and refinement of themesDefinition and naming of themesReport preparationResults and DiscussionThe research findings indicate that the social ontology of traditional neighborhoods revolves around two main themes:Capacities of Local Communities, encompassing:Social attachment, which includes attitudinal and behavioral attachment, neighborhood satisfaction, emotional investment, preservation of neighborhood assets, social belonging, pride, and the willingness to defend neighborhood boundaries.Social cohesion, which involves fostering deep interpersonal bonds, shared traditions, community participation, and a collective sense of kinship.Community Neighborhood Acceptance, comprising:Social obligations, which include collective goals, participatory social practices, neighborhood honor, tolerance, mutual trust, crisis unity, and resident engagement in shaping the neighborhood’s future.Public good and empowerment, which pertains to the enhancement of interpersonal resources, skill development, neighborhood loyalty, social support systems, local entrepreneurship, and the sustainability of cultural and economic self-sufficiency.These thematic elements highlight the critical role of neighborhood sociability in fostering cohesive, resilient, and sustainable urban communities. The study underscores that social attachment and cohesion serve as foundational elements for the vitality of traditional neighborhoods.ConclusionThis study aimed to reinterpret the concept of the traditional neighborhood and examine its transformation across different historical periods. By exploring the social aspects of traditional neighborhoods, it identified four primary components that shape their ontology: space, time, citizen, and activity. These elements interact dynamically, influencing both urban structure and citizenship practices.Over time, the understanding of neighborhoods has transitioned from being purely physical constructs to more semantic, perceptual, and mental entities. However, despite this conceptual evolution, neighborhoods remain tangible manifestations of social and spatial dynamics. The increasing divergence between social and physical structures, coupled with enhanced mobility and technological advancements, has complicated the definition and lived experience of neighborhoods in contemporary urban contexts.The findings suggest that revitalizing urban neighborhoods requires a return to the foundational principles of traditional neighborhood design. By integrating social ontology into modern urban planning, policymakers and designers can cultivate more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban environments.
Urban Planning
esmail DALIR
Abstract
Highlights
- Citizens' bioethics is influenced by various dimensions of social justice.
- The habitual practice of bioethical principles is fostered through fairness.
- Commitment to alleviating the suffering of others is achieved through equality.
- Economic, social, cultural, and educational foundations ...
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Highlights
- Citizens' bioethics is influenced by various dimensions of social justice.
- The habitual practice of bioethical principles is fostered through fairness.
- Commitment to alleviating the suffering of others is achieved through equality.
- Economic, social, cultural, and educational foundations enhance the effectiveness of social justice in bioethics.
Introduction
Bioethics serves as a fundamental pillar in establishing a moral society and fostering a genuine sense of justice. Addressing social and ethical challenges is a priority for global institutions, including the United Nations, which highlights bioethics as a means to uphold human dignity and equality. A critical aspect of bioethics is its relationship with justice, particularly social justice, which involves the equitable distribution of societal benefits among its members. Bioethical principles must therefore encompass multiple ethical standards such as equality, necessity, capability, effort, and social needs. This study aims to assess the influence of social justice on bioethics and evaluate its realization across the urban areas of Ardabil.
Theoretical Framework
Potter posits that humanity faces a moral and ethical crisis, impacting not only socio-economic development but also the ethical integrity of society. Bioethics, in this context, serves as a corrective measure to realign individuals with moral principles. Rentorf and Kemp argue that justice should be the ultimate goal of bioethics and biological rights. Social justice, when framed through the principles of fairness, equality, necessity, and economic individualism, significantly strengthens bioethics by promoting respect, non-exploitation, benevolence, and fairness.
John Rawls' theory of social justice is foundational to this study, emphasizing two key principles: the principle of freedom and the principle of difference. The latter suggests that social and economic disparities should be structured to ensure equitable opportunities for all. In essence, "fair equality of opportunity" dictates that every individual should have the same chances of success, regardless of their socio-economic status.
Methodology
This study adopts an applied research approach with a descriptive-analytical method to explore the impact of social justice on bioethics in Ardabil. The degree of social justice realization was measured through four key variables:
Fairness (cooperation, benevolence, sympathy, compassion)
Equality (equal opportunities, freedom, elimination of discrimination, unity, respect for laws)
Necessity (security, participation, health and hygiene, education, equal share)
Economic individualism (domestic goods, economic freedom, private property, personal interests, competition)
Each variable was assessed using five indicators, resulting in a total of 20 items. A structured questionnaire consisting of 40 research questions, rated on a Likert scale (1=very little to 5=very much), was distributed to a statistically representative sample of 383 individuals drawn from Ardabil's population of 529,374, using the Cochran formula. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and Excel, and GIS mapping was employed to rank the urban areas based on their realization of social justice indicators.
Results and Discussion
Factor analysis revealed that the fairness variable had the highest realization level (16.95), indicating that cooperation, benevolence, sympathy, and compassion were the most influential aspects of bioethics among Ardabil’s citizens. The equality variable ranked second (15.27), reflecting significant social justice elements such as equal opportunities, freedom, elimination of discrimination, and respect for laws. The necessity variable (13.82) took the third place, emphasizing the importance of security, participation, education, health, and equitable distribution of resources. The economic individualism variable ranked lowest (13.73), suggesting that aspects such as private property, economic freedom, and competition had the least impact on bioethical considerations.
Using the WASPAS model, the urban areas were ranked as follows based on the realization of social justice indicators:
Region 1 - Qi 0.5393 (slightly above average)
Region 2 - Qi 0.4258 (42.58% realization of social justice in bioethics)
Region 5 - Qi 0.4099
Region 3 - Qi 0.3978
Region 4 - Qi 0.3803 (lowest realization of social justice in bioethics)
Conclusion
This study underscores the importance of integrating social justice principles into urban planning policies to enhance bioethics among citizens. Addressing social challenges through bioethics must be rooted in justice, ensuring that both individual and collective needs are met through equitable policies and practices. The findings highlight the necessity for targeted interventions to promote fairness, equality, and social well-being across different urban areas.
Urban Planning
Bahador Zamani; Ehsan Babaei Salanghooch
Abstract
Highlights
High-quality grounded theory methodology (GTM) research in urban planning and design requires a deep understanding of GTM’s nature, versions, characteristics, and core principles.
Lack of adherence to all GTM principles can hinder the primary goal of GTM: theory generation.
Many ...
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Highlights
High-quality grounded theory methodology (GTM) research in urban planning and design requires a deep understanding of GTM’s nature, versions, characteristics, and core principles.
Lack of adherence to all GTM principles can hinder the primary goal of GTM: theory generation.
Many GTM studies reviewed in this paper could have applied a more accurate version of GTM.
GTM research in urban planning and design should clearly present evidence of key actions taken during data collection and analysis.
Introduction
In recent years, grounded theory methodology (GTM) has become more prevalent in research fields related to the built environment, especially urban planning and design. However, a lack of thorough understanding of GTM’s foundational principles and versions has often led to research with eclectic interpretations of GTM, sometimes diverging from GTM’s fundamental aims and processes. This study systematically evaluates GTM-based research in urban planning and design, aiming to understand the adherence to GTM’s essential principles within these studies and to provide recommendations for future research.
Theoretical Framework
GTM has evolved significantly since its inception by Glaser and Strauss, with various adaptations. Early on, Leonard Schatzman’s development of dimensional analysis marked a significant shift (Schatzman 1991). Kathy Charmaz, a student of both founders, advanced constructivist grounded theory. Adele Clarke, another prominent figure in GTM’s development, integrated Strauss’s social worlds and arenas framework with situational analysis (Clarke 2005; Clarke et al. 2018). Numerous other adaptations have since emerged, including critical realist GTM (Oliver 2011), transformational GTM (Redman-MacLaren and Mills 2015), multi-grounded theory (Goldkuhl and Cronholm 2010), and feminist GTM (Wuest 1995). Despite these variations, GTM’s core principles remain central across adaptations, including simultaneous data collection and analysis, data coding, constant comparison, theoretical sampling, theoretical saturation, memo writing, and integrating the theoretical framework within existing literature (Charmaz 2014; Corbin and Strauss 2014).
Methodology
This study conducted a systematic review across Persian-language scientific databases, including the Jahad Daneshgahi Scientific Information Center, the Comprehensive Humanities Portal, and Noor Specialized Journals, encompassing a broad range of fields like art, architecture, and social sciences. The search yielded 834 articles, of which duplicate and non-peer-reviewed articles were excluded. Studies were further narrowed down to those authored by urban planning professionals or featuring urban planning participants, specifically employing GTM as the sole research method or methodology. Articles from other disciplines, such as architecture and tourism, were excluded. Inclusion criteria focused on Persian-language articles published between 1967 (the year GTM was introduced) and 2020, specifically on urban design and planning and explicitly using GTM.
Descriptive characteristics, including author(s), publication year, purpose, data collection methods, applied GTM version, and role of GTM in the research, were extracted for analysis. This assessment was based on the quality guideline by Hutchinson et al. (2011).
Results
Out of the reviewed studies, 32 (73%) justified their use of GTM. GTM’s role varied:
1 study (2%) described GTM as a methodology
32 studies (73%) as a method
12 studies (29%) as an approach
5 studies (11%) as an approach (repeated category)
2 studies (5%) as a data analysis tool Four studies (11%) referenced GTM without specifying its methodological role.
Regarding GTM versions used:
8 studies (18%) did not specify a version
29 studies (66%) used the Strauss and Corbin version
2 studies (5%) used Charmaz’s constructivist version
1 study (2%) referenced Glaser’s approach
1 study (2%) referenced Clarke’s situational analysis
3 studies (7%) used a combination of versions.
In terms of adherence to GTM principles, studies showed varied application levels. Only one study applied all seven GTM principles. Other studies used between one to six principles, with one study applying none. For outcomes:
7 studies (16%) achieved theory generation
6 studies (14%) presented descriptive themes and narratives
29 studies (67%) used diagrams or models
1 study (2%) presented a conceptual framework
1 study (2%) reported a paradigm model.
Overall, this evaluation indicated that while GTM is increasingly used in urban planning and design research, many studies have not fully applied GTM’s principles. Consequently, their outputs often consist of descriptive themes or diagrams rather than theoretical contributions. Some studies applied only select GTM techniques, such as coding, without employing processes like theoretical sampling and constant comparison, limiting them to descriptive results rather than theory building.
Conclusion
This study’s findings indicate that to improve GTM research quality in urban planning and design, researchers must thoroughly understand GTM’s nature, versions, and core principles. A deep comprehension of different GTM versions allows for selecting the most suitable approach for the research’s goals and objectives, ensuring robust theory generation.
Urban Planning
Bahare Bahra; Mojtaba Rafieian
Abstract
Highlights:
- Understanding urban conflicts often relies on typologies specific to the context, a focus that has drawn considerable attention since the 1980s, especially in urban studies.
- The classification of conflicts in urban planning is based on factors such as causal forces, spatial patterns, ...
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Highlights:
- Understanding urban conflicts often relies on typologies specific to the context, a focus that has drawn considerable attention since the 1980s, especially in urban studies.
- The classification of conflicts in urban planning is based on factors such as causal forces, spatial patterns, conflict intensity, scale, sources, topics, and planning theory typology.
- Urban planners' approaches to conflict and its management are heavily influenced by the structural, political, and organizational cultures of their institutional environments.
Introduction: Urban planning has evolved significantly in response to changing socio-economic and political realities, particularly as cities enter the 21st century. The multiplicity of societal interests and conflicting preferences has made conflict an integral part of urban planning processes. Planners, now more than ever, must grapple with these conflicts, as they can significantly impact the success or failure of urban policies and initiatives.
Although the discussion surrounding conflict in urban planning has existed for decades, it gained momentum in the 1970s and became especially prevalent in the 1980s with the rise of participatory planning approaches. As participatory models developed, urban theorists began paying more attention to conflicts as an inherent part of urban governance. However, the literature surrounding conflict in urban planning remains fragmented, with differing theoretical and practical approaches. This study aims to bridge this gap by systematically classifying conflicts based on the dominant theoretical, philosophical, and contextual frameworks present in planning theory.
Theoretical Framework: Understanding and managing conflict in urban planning requires a systematic typology that reflects the nature of these disputes in different contexts. Conflict typologies in urban planning research generally fall into two major categories: managerial and theoretical. The managerial approach focuses on decision-making processes, conflict resolution techniques, impact assessments, and institutional analysis. This approach aligns with organizational and management studies and seeks to devise strategies for managing conflicts effectively.
In contrast, the theoretical approach seeks to understand the root causes of conflicts, emphasizing the philosophical and epistemological underpinnings of urban planning. Theoretical perspectives examine conflicts through lenses such as power dynamics, the role of planning theory, and the influence of political institutions. These two broad approaches—the managerial and the theoretical—are frequently applied within a third situational context, which examines specific urban conflicts tied to space, land use, urban development, regeneration projects, and large-scale initiatives.
Methodology: This research employs a systematic review methodology to analyze the evolution of conflict and conflict management in urban planning. The data collection involved a meta-analysis and qualitative content analysis of 139 English-language articles found in the Scopus database. Following the content analysis, an in-depth review of 46 additional sources helped trace the historical development of conflict theories and practices in urban planning.
The meta-analysis allowed the study to categorize the diverse approaches to conflict in urban planning into three main paradigms: positivist, post-positivist, and critical. Each of these paradigms brings a unique perspective to conflict management. For example, the positivist paradigm seeks guided consensus, while the post-positivist paradigm looks to resolve conflicts through consensus based on discourse ethics. The critical paradigm, on the other hand, challenges consensus-building as a form of hegemony, arguing that conflicts are constantly reproduced within the structures of urban governance.
Results and Discussion: The systematic review revealed that conflicts in urban planning can be broadly classified into three key approaches: managerial, theoretical, and situational. These approaches intersect in different ways, depending on the specific context in which the conflict arises. For example, situational conflicts often arise in areas related to spatial patterns, land use, ownership disputes, and urban regeneration projects. Managerial conflicts are tied to the processes of decision-making, institutional design, and conflict resolution strategies. Theoretical conflicts explore deeper issues, such as the role of power in planning and the underlying philosophies that guide urban policy.
In terms of paradigmatic shifts, the evolution of conflict management in urban planning has seen a movement from positivist approaches, which aimed to engineer consensus, to post-positivist approaches that emphasized the ethics of discourse and negotiation. More recently, critical theorists have argued that consensus itself is a mechanism for maintaining power imbalances and that conflicts are never fully resolved but continually reproduced within urban planning processes. This shift reflects a broader political turn in the field of urban planning, where conflicts are understood not just as problems to be solved but as symptoms of deeper systemic issues.
Conclusion: The evolution of conflict in urban planning reflects broader ideological and political shifts in the discipline. While early approaches sought to manage conflict through structured consensus-building, more recent perspectives recognize the inherent power dynamics at play in urban governance. Planners today must move beyond traditional regulatory roles and contribute to rethinking urban policy and transforming the symbolic and physical dimensions of urban spaces. However, the effectiveness of planners' roles in conflict management largely depends on the structural contexts and political cultures of the institutions within which they operate. Understanding and addressing these conflicts requires a multifaceted approach that considers both managerial and theoretical perspectives.
Urban Planning
Mohammad Reza YazdanPanah Shahabadi; Zeinab Adeli
Abstract
Highlights:
- There are distinct differences in the degree of place attachment across the scales of home, neighbourhood, and city.
- Place attachment is strongest at the scale of the home, followed by the city, and lastly, the neighbourhood.
- The factors shaping place attachment are tangible and ...
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Highlights:
- There are distinct differences in the degree of place attachment across the scales of home, neighbourhood, and city.
- Place attachment is strongest at the scale of the home, followed by the city, and lastly, the neighbourhood.
- The factors shaping place attachment are tangible and objective at the scale of the home, intangible and subjective at the scale of the city, and a combination of both at the neighbourhood scale.
Introduction:
Place attachment is an important concept for evaluating the spatial quality of environments, particularly due to its psychological dimension and its strong relationship to the broader concept of sense of place in urban spaces. While the subject has been extensively studied in various fields related to place, less attention has been given to how the scale of place—whether it is the home, neighbourhood, or city—affects the development of this attachment. This study aims to identify and explore the key factors influencing place attachment across these three scales. By understanding the differences in place attachment at varying levels, this research will contribute to a more nuanced approach in urban studies, planning, and design.
Theoretical Framework:
Recent models of place attachment emphasize that, in addition to personal and locational characteristics, both social and physical factors play a vital role in shaping the sense of attachment. The key factors influencing place attachment can be summarized as follows:
Physical Characteristics of a Place: These include elements that range from the smaller scale of the home and neighbourhood to larger urban and national contexts. This includes aspects such as housing satisfaction, the availability and efficiency of services, architectural and aesthetic values, and the sense of safety.
Individual Characteristics: Factors such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, marital status, homeownership, personal values, and community beliefs all significantly impact place attachment. Furthermore, experiences, memories, cultural background, and religion contribute to this connection.
Duration of Interaction with a Place: Research indicates that place attachment is a gradual process. Altman associates a stronger attachment with longer periods of residence, as this tends to result in the formation of deeper relationships and connections with the local community.
Social Characteristics: The development of place attachment also requires meaningful, long-term engagement and participation within the community. Social participation is seen as one of the strongest drivers of emotional attachment to a place, fostering a sense of security and belonging.
Methodology:
This research adopts a qualitative approach, utilizing in-depth interviews to explore the factors influencing place attachment across three scales—home, neighbourhood, and city. The interviews were conducted in six different neighbourhoods in Tehran, which were selected using a cluster sampling method. Two neighbourhoods were chosen from privileged areas (Darband and Jamaran), two from middle-income areas (Tarasht and West Tehran-Pars), and two from low-income areas (Bolur-Sazi and 13th Aban). The interviews were carried out until theoretical saturation was achieved, with a total of 66 interviews (27 men and 39 women) conducted. Each neighbourhood was represented by 11 interviews. The selected participants were individuals over the age of 25 who had lived in the same neighbourhood for at least five years.
Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Key concepts related to place attachment were extracted and categorized into factors influencing attachment at the scales of home, neighbourhood, and city.
Results and Discussion:
At the home scale, four major categories were identified:
- Housing structure
- Social belonging
- Environmental efficiency
- Semantic belonging
At the neighbourhood scale, the factors influencing place attachment included:
- Neighbourhood efficiency
- Sense of belonging
- Social capital
- Institutional-cognitive values
At the city scale, four categories emerged:
- Vitality
- Accessibility and efficiency
- Social dependence
- Perceptual-semantic value
The research revealed significant differences in place attachment across these scales. Place attachment is notably strongest at the home scale, followed by the city, with attachment to the neighbourhood being comparatively weaker. However, this does not minimize the importance of the neighbourhood in shaping place attachment. Further analysis showed that individuals with low attachment to their neighbourhood generally exhibited weak attachment to both the city and their home. This suggests that a certain minimum level of neighbourhood attachment is necessary for the formation of a more comprehensive sense of place attachment.
Moreover, the study highlighted differences in the nature of the factors influencing attachment at each scale. At the home level, factors are primarily tangible and objective—such as the physical structure of the house, its functionality, and the immediate social environment. In contrast, at the city scale, factors are more intangible and subjective, involving perceptions of the city's vitality, accessibility, and social dynamics. The neighbourhood scale represented a blend of both objective and subjective factors, reflecting its intermediary role in individuals' experiences of place.
Conclusion:
The findings of this research underscore the complexity of place attachment and its variation across different scales of place. While the home scale fosters the strongest attachment, followed by the city, the neighbourhood still plays a crucial role in shaping individuals' overall place attachment. The neighbourhood can act as a source of identity and attachment, although it requires further exploration to fully understand its dynamic relationship with other scales. Additionally, the concrete and objective factors that influence attachment at the home scale are contrasted with the more intangible, subjective elements at the city scale, while the neighbourhood embodies a hybrid of these characteristics. This nuanced understanding of place attachment and its relation to the scale of place offers valuable insights for urban planning and design, particularly in fostering environments that strengthen place attachment across all levels of urban life.
Urban Planning
Yaghob Abdali; Saeed Zanganeh Shahraki; hossein hataminejad; Ahmad Pourahmad; Mohammd Salmani
Abstract
Highlights:
Flooding is one of the most common, widespread, and devastating natural disasters.
Strengthening capacities to better prepare for, cope with, and recover from adverse effects is crucial for addressing increasing risks from natural events.
This article establishes a framework for building ...
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Highlights:
Flooding is one of the most common, widespread, and devastating natural disasters.
Strengthening capacities to better prepare for, cope with, and recover from adverse effects is crucial for addressing increasing risks from natural events.
This article establishes a framework for building resilience in Khorramabad city.
Introduction:
Global climate changes, primarily manifested as global warming and rapid urbanization, exacerbate extreme weather events. Statistics indicate that floods are among the most prevalent and catastrophic natural disasters (Safiah Yusmah et al., 2020: 552). Urban floods caused by heavy rainfall have evolved from gradual accumulation to sudden surges (Masozera et al., 2007: 299; Hallegatte et al., 2013: 802). Therefore, urban flood resilience, crucial for flood control and disaster reduction, has garnered increasing research focus (Obrist et al., 2010: 284; Xu et al., 2018: 5298). The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030), endorsed by the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in 2015, and the 2018 Beijing Resilient City Development Plan, underscore the importance of enhancing urban resilience to disasters (Sun et al., 2022: 1).
To address the growing risk of natural events, it is essential to strengthen capacities that enable vulnerable communities to better prepare for, cope with, and recover from adverse effects. In disaster management literature, this strategy is commonly referred to as resilience. Resilience, when applied to communities, is defined as "the ability of a community to prepare for, plan, absorb, recover, and adapt to actual or potential adverse events in a timely and efficient manner, including rebuilding and improving essential functions and structures." A resilient community incurs fewer losses and recovers more swiftly from hazardous events (Cutter et al., 2014: 65; Abdali et al., 2022: 6).
Theoretical Framework:
The concept of resilience originated from Holling's seminal work in ecology, aimed at understanding the instability and dynamics of nature. According to Holling, resilience is "the measure of a system's ability to absorb change and disturbance while maintaining the same relationships between populations or state variables." However, resilience is not simply "the ability of a system to return to equilibrium after a temporary disturbance" (Holling, 1973: 14-17). In ecological literature, two definitions of resilience emerged: one that encompasses continuity, change, and unpredictability in a nonlinear and non-equilibrium system (ecological resilience), and another that focuses on efficiency, stability, and predictability in a single equilibrium system (engineering resilience) (Holling, 1996: 25; Folke, 2006: 256). Engineering resilience emphasizes rapid and efficient recovery post-disturbance, while ecological resilience is about absorbing changes and ensuring continuity (Pickett et al., 2004: 373).
Methodology:
This study employs a combined multi-criteria decision-making approach using the Analytic Network Process (ANP), DEMATEL technique, and the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE). The DEMATEL-ANP model identifies internal relationships between indicators, allowing for pairwise comparisons and weight evaluation, while PROMETHEE ranks solutions based on their proximity to the ideal solution, with the best solution being closest to the ideal point (Chen et al., 2011: 909; Chiu et al., 2013: 49; Thor et al., 2013: 27; Ju et al., 2015: 348-349).
Results and Discussion:
Resilience in Khorramabad exhibits a clear spatial pattern, with higher resilience in affluent upper city areas and lower resilience in less affluent lower city areas. This disparity highlights the inequitable distribution of urban facilities and services, emphasizing the need for equitable development and access to vital resources. Economic resilience is surprisingly lower in the city’s economic center due to deteriorated infrastructure and the residence of lower socio-economic strata. Institutional resilience is higher in central areas, benefiting from the concentration of governmental, private, and grassroots organizations.
Peripheral areas suffer from inadequate infrastructure, resulting in lower overall resilience. Social capital resilience lacks a specific spatial pattern, with most areas rated as medium to low, indicating weak community connections. Environmental resilience shows that city center areas are more prone to flooding, while higher resilience is observed in different parts of the city, possibly due to land permeability and river positions.
Comparative analysis reveals that regions 1, 4, 7, 13, and 17 have the lowest resilience, while regions 23 and 14 rank high. This analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of resilience levels at the city scale, identifying areas requiring further intervention.
Conclusion:
Mapping the results reveals distinct spatial patterns of resilience and identifies hotspots needing more intervention. Central and western regions, with lower resilience, require more attention. Environmental and infrastructural factors are key, directly relating to land use and planning. The findings can assist Khorramabad’s urban planning organizations in integrating disaster resilience into urban planning, transforming reactive plans into proactive adaptation strategies. Additionally, identifying potential hotspots can aid emergency management institutions in effective disaster risk management. Enhancing social resilience is crucial for community capacity building to prepare for, respond to, and adapt to climate change impacts, guiding local stakeholders in fostering fair development and equitable resource access.
