نشریه توسعه محلی (روستایی - شهری)
سال چهاردهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 26، بهار و تابستان 1401)

Informal trading activities in border regions are inherently risky and challenging. Special rules and methods are needed to deal with the dangers and challenges of this phenomenon and to continue these activities. This study aimed to investigate how activists in the Saqqqez and Baneh border regions continue their informal trading activities and how they deal with the risks involved. Data were collected using the ethnographic method, interviews, and observation techniques. Through the purposive sampling method, 55 key informants, including kulbars, wholesalers, retailers, and drivers, were interviewed to achieve theoretical saturation. Based on respondents’ comments, the following 10 key categories were identified: Use of natural and environmental features as a means of escape; reliance on personal skills and abilities; group support and integration; innovation and creativity; use of strategic tricks; compromise with police; sociocultural legitimacy of the commodity; instrumental use of religious beliefs; personal profit and speculation; forced resistance; and use of violence. The analysis of the results showed that these tricks, which could be called “strategies for the survival and continuation of informal trading activities in border regions”, are the result of lived experiences, socio-economic conditions, the natural structure of border regions, and available resources and facilities; therefore, they provide opportunities for activists and increase their resilience to the possible consequences of risks

Cooperatives can provide a fertile ground for economic, cultural and social development in society. Considering the frequency and variety of research conducted on the cooperatives success in Iran, it seems necessary to conduct combined research such as meta-analysis in this area. The question of the present study is that in the conducted research, what factors have the greatest impact on the cooperatives success in Iranian society? This research has been done by meta-analysis method. The statistical population of the study was all valid scientific researches (including articles, research projects and dissertations) that were published in the years 2001 to 2020 with the subject of the cooperatives success. Based on the criteria for entering and exiting studies, 54 studies were selected and analyzed with comprehensive CMA2 meta-analysis software. Findings showed that in the reviewed research, independent variables are placed in four categories: social, economic, managerial and structural-legal. In the social category, the variables of social trust and member participation with the effect of 0.66 and 0.43, respectively, have the greatest impact on the success of cooperatives. In the management category, the variables of relations and cooperation of cooperatives as well as the background of members and managers have the greatest impact on the cooperatives success with the effect of 0.45 and 0.36, respectively. In the economic category, the variable of cooperative capital with an effect size of 0.33 has the greatest impact on the cooperatives success. The most impact of the structural-legal category variables are: knowledge and awareness about cooperatives and the performance of the regional cooperative administration with an effect size of 0.49 and 0.40, respectively. The final model derived from the research results showed that first structural-legal factors and then social factors can play an important role in other factors and finally the cooperatives success.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of livelihood capital on the environmental attitude of rural people in Selseleh. This applied research was conducted by descriptive correlation method. The statistical population of the study was the heads of rural households in Selseleh (N = 10888). The statistical sample size using Krejcie Morgan table was 379 people. Multi-stage sampling method was used for sampling in this study. The results showed that there was a weak environmental attitude among the villagers. The results of correlation coefficient showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between livelihood capital and environmental attitudes. The results of multiple linear regression showed that among the livelihood capital, financial and physical capital were the most important explanators of the environmental attitude of the villagers. Based on the research findings, it is suggested that in order to improve the environmental attitude of the villagers, the relevant organizations should hold training programs on environmental crises and how to protect them. Also, considering that social networks are currently used by the majority of villagers, so the potentials of these networks can be used to the fullest. Therefore, it is necessary to take the necessary planning and measures in this regard. Financial and physical capital were among the most important factors influencing the environmental attitude of the villagers. Therefore, the access of rural households to financial resources such as low-interest loans and long-term installments should be considered.

Sustainable development is inextricably linked to the environment. One of the requirements of sustainable development is the protection of the environment and natural resources as the collective heritage of humanity; In such a way that, in addition to meeting the needs of the current generation, it also can meet the needs of the next generation. Climate change is one of the most critical environmental problems in the world. These changes have many negative consequences for rural sustainability. In this regard, analyzing farmers' experience and understanding of rural sustainability in the context of climate change is necessary to adopt environmental policies compatible with the environment. This study investigates farmers' understanding of rural sustainability, emphasizing the past climate. To achieve this goal, this study selected the villages in different south, north, west, and east regions of Isfahan province. This study uses the systematic grounded theory of Strauss and Corbin. Semi-structured interview technique was also used to collect data. All interviews were transcripted, analyzed, and coded in three stages: open, axial, and selective. As a result, 29 concepts and seven axial categories were obtained to draw a paradigm model of the self-reliant and sustainable past. From the farmers' point of view, a regular agricultural calendar with a suitable geographical context and a safety net interfering factor has led to a self-reliant and sustainable past. Farmers' strategy has also been ecological agriculture, which has shaped the consequences of subsistence self-sufficiency. Paying attention to climate change in rural development policies, strengthening safety nets, and creating a business plan with the help of farmers, can contribute to sustainable rural development.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between environmental attitudes and sustainable consumption. By random multi-stage cluster sampling, a survey is conducted in the city of Isfahan among 981 residents 18 years old and older. To measure environmental attitudes, the NEP scale is used here. Software SPSS and Amos are used to analyze the data. Results show that the scale of New Ecological Paradigm is an appropriate instrument to measure environmental attitudes of adults in Isfahan. Results show significant relationship, r = 0.295, between environmental attitudes and sustainable consumption. Individuals with higher environmental attitudes do more sustainable consumption acts. People with university education have more sustainable consumption acts in comparison with ones who have diploma and lower education. Women do more sustainable consuming acts than men. Individuals who are the owner of the house are more sustainable than tenants in consumption acts. Results of the multi-variable linear regression show that environmental attitudes has the most powerful effect on sustainable consumption and then respectively, ownership of the house, gender and education has the most powerful effects on sustainable consumption. The adjusted R square of the model is 0.102 and these variables together explain 10.2 percent of the variation of sustainable consumption. Air pollution, drought and water shortage are some of the most important environmental issues of the city of Isfahan. Importance of consuming acts of individuals and the role of their environmental attitudes in it shows that it is needed for further research in this field. Informing people about environmental issues and their role in environmental protection, changing their environmental attitudes and encouraging them to do sustainable (consuming) acts, and also providing suitable grounds for sustainable (consuming) acts need further investment and policymaking in the field.

Although planning theorists’ opinions vary, most communicative process criteria can be summarized in three principles: inclusiveness of participating parties, openness and transparency for debating process, and consensus building for constructive and practical solutions. According to these three principles, the shortcomings of the rural development plans of East Azerbaijan province in the field of communicative planning approach were analyzed qualitatively-quantitatively by research method mixed with the tool development approach. A total of 40 people were selected to participate in in-depth interviews and answer multiple-choice questions, of which 25 participated in qualitative interviews. In the first phase of the research, the "guided introspection" method was used. Due to the nature of this approach, MAXQDA software was used for data management in secondary coding. The extracted indicators and pivotal concepts became a researcher-made questionnaire for tool development in quantitative sections. The SEM method in PLS software environment was used for quantitative data analysis. Thirty sub-themes were identified as local development planning deficiencies in three options as communication planning process criteria, which were classified into eight main themes. The results show A) as long as the participation of stakeholders in all stages of planning is not; B) there is no clear definition of local rural development; C) the type of attitude towards development is not communicative and bottom-up; D) Local capacities, needs and expectations are not used properly; F) how to access information is not enough; No consensus can be reached on constructive and practical solutions through indigenous knowledge, creativity and executive guarantee.

This study aims to investigate the role of local markets in rural households' sustainable livelihoods in Gorgan. To collect data, the field method was used and the type of research was applied. This led to several questions being formulated in a questionnaire that was designed by the researcher using a five-point Likert scale. This research focuses on 12 villages with a rural bazaar in Gorgan city, with 7308 households, and the sample size is 367 questionnaires Simple random selection based on Cochran's formula and Friedman, Chi-square and Wilcoxon tests were utilized to analyze the data. An ArcGIS map was created using the software. The validity of the questionnaires was evaluated according to the advice of professors and the reliability of the questionnaires was determined by using Cronbach's alpha. It is evident from the results that the local rural markets have a significant role in improving the sustainable livelihood of rural families since these markets generate income, variety of jobs, reduce costs, and have created employment opportunities for many rural women in these markets. Additionally, due to their proximity, villagers' residences contribute to the supply of rural products to these bazaars and enable residents to stay in rural areas. In addition, the activity of these markets has greatly improved access and the network of rural roads. Hence, it is possible to conclude that improving the livelihood capital of rural households is closely related to the activities of rural markets, and rural markets can be viewed as one of the strategies for sustainable rural development.

This study is based on the analysis of the mechanisms of failure of cooperatives in the border areas of Kurdistan province. To achieve this, using the theoretical saturation obtained from the semi-structured interview data with 41 members of the board The board and CEO of border cooperatives of four border towns of Kurdistan province came to this end. The results show the existence of conditions of border underdevelopment due to weak communication and economic infrastructures. The causal and intervening conditions for the failure of cooperatives in the informal economy of the border showed that the dominance of the contradictory policies of state institutions and the lack of participation and knowledge of members about the cooperatives provided the conditions for this failure. This situation shows the lack of efficiency and weakness of the cooperatives, which is reflected in the consequences and socio-economic damages. The functional failure of the cooperatives has consequences such as the failure of the border resident’ card and the fuel card plan, the neglect of the employment of border residents, cultism and its damage, the reduction of the life expectancy of villagers in border areas, the collapse of the local economy and serious economic problems, and a decline in trust. It has become social in two dimensions: institutional and popular. Therefore, in order to maintain and improve the position and role of cooperatives, it is possible to apply government support and monitoring strategies, strengthen the general participation of the rural community, and improve the financial base of the cooperative.

In recent years, climate change has had severe and far-reaching impacts on rural areas, especially on smallholder farmers, causing small farms to suffer more, produce less, and putting agriculture at risk. The fragility of smallholder livelihoods and well-being has complicated the response of smallholders to climate change. The aim of this study was to investigate smallholder farmers' perceptions of climate change and their lived experiences and semantic understanding of this phenomenon in smallholder farms in Hamadan province, as well as how they deal with it, using the phenomenological research method. For this purpose, a series of questions in the form of semi-structured and in-depth interview protocols were designed and 30 farmers were interviewed using Colaizzai method and Maximum Variation Sampling technique). Most farmers recognized climate change and associated it with numerous signs, such as decreasing rainfall, groundwater depletion, increasing heavy rainfall, rising temperatures, and shifting seasons, according to the data. The most important indicator of climate change, they say, is the occurrence of water shortages on farms. Farmers who participated in this study are reducing the quantity and quality of agricultural goods produced, increasing their use of chemicals to control pests or improve soil fertility, and increasing their expenses. Climate change has brought serious problems to agricultural management, with production being one of the most important negative impacts. The results of this study show that farmers have been both proactive and reactive in responding to the impacts of climate change, as well as non-responsive. The main responses of farmers to climate change included improving water management, diversifying livelihoods, changing cropping patterns, changing livestock and management practices, and expanding extension services and expert advice.

The deficit of underground water reservoirs in Iran has exceeded 130 billion cubic meters. This is while the water government in Iran has been trying to balance the underground water reservoirs by introducing smart meter technology into the water governance network since 2004. This policy could be an effective effort for the benefit of the environment. However, the project to control the use of underground water reservoirs with the continuation of the process of making water distribution smart and trying to reduce the amount of extraction from wells in the “restoration and balancing plan” of the country's underground water resources from 2013 has been also unsuccessful. The ideal prospects of “the document on adapting to water shortage”, which has been announced based on the previous plans since May 2021, have not yet yielded any results as well. Since the introduction of a nature-friendly technology into the water governance network can be considered an idea in line with the process of Ecological Modernization(EM), this article has tried to explain the problems of making it compulsory to install smart meters on agricultural wells by using evaluation tools of EM. In this article, EM process in Iran's water governance was analyzed in different sectors of the market, innovation and technology, government, civil society and environmental awareness. Based on the qualitative model of the evaluation of the ecological modernization process, the environmental result of this process in the country was placed in the very weak stage of such modernization with a score of 5 out of 50 for the complete achievement of EM. The final result of the policy analysis of installing smart meters in Iran is that the water governance and stakeholders’ network is not fully prepared for such a technology-oriented transformation in the water distribution process. Considering the super-critical condition of underground water in Iran, by maintaining the process of ecological renovation, the 45 points not obtained in the evaluation of the environmental result of this project can be compensated with a social approach and according to the participatory principles of the process of ecological renovation.

Iranian students, with different titles, are busy with voluntary deprivation activities in deprived areas of countries. The difference between their everyday lives, the places they volunteer to travel, and their immediate exposure to privation is a particular experience for them. This experience affects their self-perception, privation, and deprivation. The question of this research is what is the perception of student volunteer activists of their voluntary activities and their lived experiences in the immediate face of exclusion? To answer the questions of this research, 14 student activists were interviewed and these interviews were analyzed by thematic analysis. Volunteer activists' perceptions of being in disadvantaged areas divide into three categories: goals, motivations, and readings of deprivation. The focus of these volunteers' activities is on creating a good mood in the areas where they work. Ultimately, their practice in that deprived area and reading most of them from deprivation often leads to Disclaimer and De-blame. The question of this research is what is the perception of student volunteer activists of their voluntary activities and their lived experiences in the immediate face of exclusion? To answer the questions of this research, 14 student activists were interviewed and these interviews were analyzed by thematic analysis. Volunteer activists' perceptions of being in disadvantaged areas divide into three categories: goals, motivations, and readings of deprivation. The focus of these volunteers' activities is on creating a good mood in the areas where they work. Ultimately, their practice in that deprived area and reading most of them from deprivation often leads to disclaimer and de-blame.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact that Land Ownership Laws have had on the appearance and taking shape of informal settlements. After the 1979 Iranian revolution, laws were enacted that, fueled the expansion of the informal land and housing market through confiscation and expropriation of some urban lands, and by creating uncertainty and ambiguity about the ownership and legal entitlement to Waqf (charitable endowment or bequest for public benefit) land and waste lands. With the start of the Iran – Iraq war in 1980 and the necessity of resettling the displaced people, under the influence of the revolutionary slogans of support for the disadvantaged and the dispossessed coinciding with changes in the laws pertaining to the ownership of land and housing, this informal market grew ever more. In the following decades, with the changes in economic policies and the removal of low-income people from the urban planning system and the lack of access of low-income groups to housing, these informal settlements increased in such a way that by 2015, about 11 million people were living in areas occupying 62 thousand hectares of land. This research is conducted following historical-adaptive methodologies presenting a mixed empirical/secondary literature review design, where three settlements of Nasimshahr (Akbarabad), Shahrquds and Khak Sefid neighborhood are compared. The findings show that these settlements are formed as a result of demand for housing amongst the lower income groups of the population, taking advantage of the uncertainties and ambiguities within land and property laws. Although informal settlements allow their residents to benefit from the economic and social advantages of informality in the beginning, as these settlements shift towards official markets and as the pressure from new settlers increase the original settlers either lose the benefits that living in the informal settlements bring to them or are prevented from upgrading their neighborhoods by the new land and housing ownership laws.