فصلنامه پژوهشهای روستایی
سال سوم شماره 4 (پیاپی 12، زمستان 1391)

Since 1938, a couple of decades before Iranian's revelation, attention to villages and rural development as a part of developmental process in national scale and also in order to analyze social, political, and economical changes has been discussed as a vital part and acted a major part in development policies. However, this attention and dedication to the program are results of development literature worldwide evolutions and experiences of other developed countries. In Iran, different plans have been implemented for developing rural areas and they have mainly focused on reducing poverty. Rural development as an important part of governmental a policies for utterly changing and modifying pervious procedures has held its significance. For this purpose, the government has made its agenda to amend management and traditional structure of agriculture and to establish new organizations and (revolutionary) institutions. Need for change and modifying rural structure in order to give a logical form to voluntary institutions which were relying on the young force have therefore been of great consideration. A glance at rural development plans reveals that there are kinds of disorganized thoughts i.e. theoretical problems in rural development planning and so on. Moreover, the approaches are varied and with physical and organic positions toward the issue. The main purpose of this research is to explain some theoretical deficits in rural developmental planning in which the ideas of scholars and social experts of the field could be adopted and considered more seriously in these areas.

Nowadays because of various economic problems in rural areas it is necessary to pay attention to new economic activities such as tourism, in order to overcome economic challenges as well as achieving sustainable development goals. Estimating tourist's willingness to pay and analyzing the affecting factors on it, along with the economical and social demands of people could demands at people be useful in predicting needs, removing scarcities and expanding rural tourism. Abyaneh village acts as one of the central functions of Natanz city. Abyaneh is located in Esfahan province, and because of its natural and historical attractions, is in the focal point of attention. The aims of this research are as follows: estimating on of the tourist's willingness to pay (WTP) of Abyaneh village for visiting and recreation, using a contingent valuation method (CVM) and analysis of influencing factors.

Development of rural areas requires efficient planning and implementing strategies within the appropriate instructions and guidelines. Considering different dimensions of economic development as well as he social-cultural, environmental and institutional frameworks in addition to the capabilities and potentials in rural development are among the key points. One of the program was working, is tourism, which entails the existence of the pattern and the strategy for achieving this goal. a long-term strategic plan for tourism development is essential of course in all aspects to achieve development and its successful management, too. This approach leads decreasing possible threats and preventing possible losses. Therefore, in order to provide all elements of tourism development, communication and interaction among the tourist attractions, activities, facilities, services and tourism markets should be considered. Effective implementation of tourism policies and programs in the area, in order to provide the best strategies and solutions, and position of the tourism landscape have been identified too.

Livability is a concept connected with the number of concepts and terms such as sustainability, quality of environment, healthy communities, etc. Although definitions are varied in different communities, defined objectives of planning should be used for creating standard native definition for livability. It is often used for defining the dimensions of community and Common experiences. It is usually focused on human experiences of place within the specified time and place. In addition, livability as a concept could be within (expanded/limited) context in which it is defined. However, the concept of life quality is often under spotlight of this concept and includes a wide range of measurable indicators with proven components such as density, transportation, security and sustainability. Livability, however, is the concept of interconnection of economical, environmental and social forms and always one dimensional and reductive measure to prevent it. There should be a network of relationships between various domains related to livability standards. Vergunst (2003) introduced a framework for livability in Aspinge rural area in Sweden. In this context, the livability is a product of interaction between local residents, community life, service level, physical location and local economy. Local population, (the number of), demographic structure (age and gender), and lifestyle are among important factors in this regard. Service level refers to communications services, schools, homes for the elderly and stores. Local economy shows the zeitgeist and power of place in creating jobs and incomes; and physical location describes the buildings and the landscape. Like other townships in the Tehran metropolitan region, Varamin has experienced peri urban phenomena (with their effects such as accelerated environmental degradation, unplanned and changing land-uses, severe shortage of services and lacking responsiveness) and the villages surrounding the town (is settlement of lower income groups - the group suffer from negative effects from neighboring towns and villages).

Spatial studies as the main tools for the detailed study of all tangible and intangible aspects of regions have special ranks among all kinds of planning. The conformity of this organization with physical environment forms the spatial structure of which is usually observed as a distributed and isotropic spatial structure, focus and polar, unbalanced and haphazard, random and balanced, spatially localized, decentralized and hierarchical (Asayesh, 2000, 146). In Iran, due to disparities in quality and quantity between urban and rural areas that have been intensified by transformational processes during recent decades, the need of finding ways out of the problem and mitigate disparities, especially in rural areas is discussed. Having spatial insight in planning and considering how to modify the size and space of rural settlements, considering the role and function of each large or small village in the settlement system and its relation to distribution of facilities on the one hand, and responsibilities on the other hand, has been emphasized as a scientific solution by many experts (Saidee, 2008, 1). Surveying the position of rural settlements in a geographical space is among the main priorities in spatial analysis of rural settlements in different areas. Recognizing the effects of demographic changes on spatial structure of rural settlements is the first step toward understanding the spatial organization and its consequences (Ganji, 2009, 58). Because ever changing phenomenon of population, as well as transformation in form of both place and time mobility, there will be permanent changes (Nick Kholgh, 1995, 45). The Khorasan Razavi Province is an example of the men timed issue. According to the census of Iranian Statistical Center (2006), the population of rural areas in the province is about 1780 thousand of total). 8.4%. This province includes the most rural population compared with the others. On the other hand, the average rural population of the province is 491, and in comparison with the country's (348%) shows difference. Studying rural population census in the period 1986- 2006 indicates that despite increasing population of the province during the period, the rate of rural population declines significant effects on the spatial distribution of the rural population and its classification. An important feature of this research is considering spatial dimensions of the mentioned changes. Accordingly, the research studies the population trends over the period 1986 to 2006 in terms of population, rural population levels, demographic trends, the number of villages and their average population in rural settlements.

In Iran, rural areas had been always accounted for as tributaries to the government and as integrated by an administrator or a body of managers (called owners, supervisors, deputies, Kadkhoda). Following the revolution in Iran and due to political and socio-economic condition then, a law was passed in the parliament whereby the management of the rural affairs had to be shouldered by Rural Islamic Councils, and the villages were accounted for as government units at the lowest level of political hierarchy. After years since the enforcement of that law, due to the progress in way of management according to empowerment rural community and appearing several executive problems in rural management, in 1997 the parliament approved a new law as "establishment of self sufficient Dehyaries (rural executive managements) in all Iranian villages" whereby all of the executive affairs have shouldered by "Dehyar" (head of Dehyari) who is selected for 4 year period by Rural Islamic Council of the village. It seems changes over the last decades have led to a shift in traditional perception of women, shown by the number of them in the fields of education and employment; and naturally the rural women are not exceptions. Their past activities in management of Vareh as well as their presence now in rural executive management (Dehyar) approves the fact that this great human resource is getting more involved in public arenas. Formally, for the first time in the country, rural women participate in rural management through Islamic Rural Council. Based on the report of “Iran Municipalities and Rural Management Organization” (2010) in the second period of Dehyary elections (2007-2011) 548 women Dehyars out of 21681 total ones were selected and consequently 2.5% of total Dehyarys were managed by rural women.

There is no need that globalism and localism be mutually exclusive; and at the same time, global and local extensions are important for understanding, when the topic of globalization is the case (Roberts, 2008). Globalization has indubitably caused local, national, and international sections to meet and intertwine in ways that have historically been unimaginable. The discourse of globalization has become widespread around the world with ongoing discussions surrounding its economic, cultural, technological, and political aspects and implications (Marginson, 1999; Singh, 2004). As such, it has been viewed through the assortment lenses of finance and trade; communications and information technologies (it); international movements; formation of global societies; linguistic, cultural, and ideological convergence; and world systems of signs and images (Monkman and Baird, 2002; Marginson, 1999). Globalization is defined here as widening, deepening and speeding up of interconnectedness in all aspects of contemporary social life all over the world (Held and McGrew, 1999, 2). In 1980s, globalization has been recognized as a complex of changes with more intensity and depth and considered from several points of view. Some theoreticians believe that these changes will propel world to the Americanization or equalization (Ritzer, 1993). On the other hand the others believe that it rather entails localization (Watson, 1997), while yet others speak of globalization (Robertson 1995). One of the main issues that have risen in globalization discourses during decades is the variety of cultural globalization effects on the social groups with different encounters, because each group may have a different exposure of globalization and be affected in a different. Furthermore, it should be understood that if there is any difference in rural and urban areas, in this removal. These questions in cultural globalization discourses lead to the main question of this research: According to cultural globalization theories, which effects has occurred on local lifestyles, and which of the theories explain the region of study.

Social security policies, and particularly the social insurance strategies, are awing important publicly supportive mechanisms to meet the communities’ social vulnerabilities. Social insurance of rural people in Iran has practically been conducted in recent years through the rural and nomadic social insurance fund. The widespread use of social insurance depends on the extent of its institutionalization among communities, which needs to be assimilated as a behavioral habit. This also requires proper policies, time, finance and other relevant actions to lead to its continuance sustainably. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the institutionalization of social insurance among rural people.

The purpose of this descriptive survey design is evaluating the performance of Agricultural Engineering Technical and Advisory Service Firms (AETASF) in Kermanshah and Zanjan Provinces. Advisory Service Firms have been established since 1386 as pilots in these provinces for providing employment in agricultural graduates, developing outreach programs among farmers, degreasing government costs and responsibility, and contrasting economic crisis. Liberalization and privatization started from Western Europe in the late 1960s, North America in the 1970s, South America and Africa over the 1980s. In Iran privatization was proposed about transfer economic business in the "1st. economic, social and cultural program", but this policy was done in the 3rd. development plan. In agricultural sector, privatization was anticipated in extension of agriculture extension and education sub-sector by the Supreme administrative council in 1992. The plan of Privatization in extension of agriculture and education sub-sector passed by council in 1990 but in fact has been started by wheat supervisor engineering plan and followed by farm councils plan to provide employment for agricultural graduates under monitoring of the engineering organization of agricultural and natural resources from 2001. The main purpose of farm councils plan has been preparing suitable conditions for legal, freedom and verifies graduates activities in agricultural fields. Therefore the Agricultural Engineering Technical and Advisory Service Firms (AETASF) started its activities in Kermanshah and Zanjan Provinces as a pilot in 2002 and after that across the country in 2008.