A study of the effect of urban development model differences on the rate of district-oriented attitude in similar cultural and geographical regions (A case study: Ardakan and Meybod cities)

District is one of the outstanding elements in Iranian-Islamic urban development and district-oriented attitude is one of the symbols of place affiliation and district prejudice which form a part of urban identity. District-oriented attitude depends on various factors. Most of the researches which have been performed express the roots of these affinities from the perspective of cultural, religious, and race difference of districts. However, the present research is an attempt to study the role of urban development models in district-oriented attitude differences in two similar cities from the cultural, geographical, religious and race perspectives. District-oriented attitude in cities of Ardakan and Meybod in Yazd province has noticeable differences with a great cultural and geographical homogeneity which is connected together today. Based on the assumption of this research, one of the most important reasons for these differences, is the model of urban development of these two cities and positions of districts in them. On the basis of findings of this descriptive-analytical research which has been obtained through library study method, field researches and interview with authorities, the model of urban development of complexes and single units of Ardakan and the scattered and multi-center model of urban development in Meybod, also the difference in the application of three basic elements of Iranian –Islamic urban development, i.e the ideological, economic, defense elements and following that the difference of the role of districts in these two cities have made differences in the type, continuation and intensity of district-oriented attitude in these two cities whose manifestations can be observed in the course of history in these two cities.