Strategic Analysis of the Urban Diplomacy of Mashhad Metropolitan Area

In a world of international communications and interactions, cities are studied as geographical regions within an atmosphere of streams built upon direct connections between cities (Najati Hosseini, 2011). In other words, cities play a significant role in the global politics, economy, and the restoration of global management. In the globalization age, cities can be introduced as key players within the frameworks of decentralization policies and interactive actions between cities and provide the means for increasing interactions in areas including information technology, economy, society, and culture (Acuto, 2012). Therefore, in today’s world, the development and progress of cities highly depend on communications and interactions between them at a transnational level. In fact, modern cities are regarded as spatial-geographical territories that enter transnational interactions and assume international roles. The subject of urban diplomacy is a tool used for studying the role of urban geographical regions in international interactions. Urban diplomacy can be defined as institutions and processes through which cities serve the purpose of demonstrating their capacities and interests in one another in relation with other actors as well as within international politics (Pluijm & Melissen, 2007). During the past few years, Mashhad metropolitan area has managed to take a bold step in the direction of growth and development at both national and international levels through progress in areas such as industry, science, tourism, etc. The backgrounds and requirements for Mashhad metropolitan area to play a role within the urban diplomacy framework is an important subject which is examined in the present study.

The present inquiry is an applied study conducted using the descriptive-analytical method. This study seeks to provide answers to the following question: How is the position of urban diplomacy in Mashhad metropolitan area with focus on transnational actions of municipality and universities? Data were collected using library studies and by referring to valid sources, along with field observations and gathering the comments of experts through interviews and questionnaires.

The analysis and examination of the findings show the active role of Mashhad municipality and universities in the context of urban diplomacy development. According to the results of SWOT model, the perceivable reality is that, given the high position of Mashhad metropolitan area in Iran and the Islamic world, the activities carried out under the present conditions with regards to urban diplomacy development of this city have not been acceptable and significant. There is a need for organized planning and more scientific actions, particularly in the municipality sector and universities. Based on the findings from the IE matrix (the internal-external factor assessment matrix) the urban diplomacy in Mashhad metropolitan area is currently at a conservative position (wo). The conservative position denotes that to develop the urban diplomacy in Mashhad metropolitan area, the internal weaknesses should be mitigated using external opportunities.

Considering its exceptional capacities in religious, historical, scientific, cultural, and geo-cultural areas, Mashhad metropolitan area can play an influential role in the context of urban diplomacy and particularly, religious and scientific diplomacies, both at regional and the Islamic world levels. However, the findings of the study point to a number of challenges faced by this city along this path. According to the results of SWOT model, despite the strengths (10 strengths) of Mashhad metropolitan area in the context of urban diplomacy development, there exist multiple weaknesses as well which are subject to systemic inadequacies. Moreover, regardless of the effective roles of universities and scientific centers in Mashhad in the field of international scientific interactions during the past few years, urban diplomacy development in this city requires making use of opportunities, esp. efficient planning and policymaking in the area of municipality and universities’ transnational interactions. As a result, Mashhad metropolitan area can rely on increasing the transnational interactions of municipality and universities and making use of external opportunities to mitigate its internal weaknesses in line with urban diplomacy development.