Explaining structural-functional changes of rural residency and housing (Case study: BonRoud and Julgeh division, Isfahan county)

The occurred changes in rural areas along with their complex and various dimensions are considered as one of the main subjects of contemporary geography. Such changes include: 1- changes of physical vision of rural space in form of unbalanced expansion of rural settlements, farming patterns, new forms of agricultural and industrial facilities; 2- subtle social changes in form of discontinuity of social cohesion, cooperation, social order and calmness; 3- rural statistics changes in form of agricultural employment, number of households, and number of migrants. From a political viewpoint, all these changes can be considered as a threat for rural life authenticity. Using villagers’ participation and qualitative methods, the present study tries to investigate the occurred physical changes in villages of BonRoud and Julgeh division, Isfahan county. To do so, twenty seven targeted interviews were conducted. Required analysis was done based on the basic theory. The results indicate that some factors are involved in changes occurred in rural residency style such as: the influence of urban culture, improvement of human capital, domination of new life-spacing patterns, and tendency of people towards welfare. Such factors have changed rural residency style towards a semi-urban one, by which physical and socio-economic changes in rural areas are happening.