Identifying the Shortcomings of Local Plans of Rural Settlements in East Azerbaijan Province in the Context of Non-Representation Theory

Non-representational theories have influenced rural geography, and geographers are dealing with rural issues not only discursively, but also as part of a set of embodied, practiced, and experienced elements of life. Local plans of rural settlements are among the important rural issues and the present study aims to identify the shortcomings and inadequacies of these plans in East Azerbaijan province. Research in the context of NRT as a mixed inductive thinking method has used a qualitative method (phenomenology with MAXQDA) to discover propositions; from the mixed method (Q) to subjectivize and discover mental patterns and finally, the quantitative method (SEM by LISREL method) to determine the final effective factors in rural local planning. "Lack of a clear management system for the village" (local management); "Lack of attention to local production methods" (knowledge-based); "Weakness in the procurement system (scientific weakness of consulting engineers in recognizing the needs of the villagers)" (evaluation-oriented); "Process and content ambiguity in how policies and programs are formulated" (explicit); And "Lack of attention to local indigenous knowledge and rural participation in local planning" (participatory and eco-oriented) were identified as five perspectives or mental models on the most important shortcomings of local rural development planning. The final comparison and validation of quantitative and qualitative methods showed that the "lack of a clear management system for the village" and "weakness in the local planning system" as the main shortcomings are two important propositions that provincial experts, local managers, and members of the local rural community agree on them.