In order to revisit "social development" and differentiate it from similar terms, the present article focuses on the major features of the four domains of social life, within the context of which society, as the pillar of social development, is defined. The article then proceeds to present an accurate and specialized definition of social development, zooming in on past/present, goals, as well as limitations and possibilities to achieve this goal. Finally, Iran's future social development trends are speculated in light of three possible scenarios.

This artcle initially explores grounds for transition toward democracy at the global level and offers statistics and info on democracy as a worldwide phenomenon.Iran's political system, as well as the developments it has gone through after the 1979 Revolution, will then be succinctly disussed. The article centers on eonditions precluding Iran's transition to democrac based on recent thoretical studies on the impact Iran's ruling elites can have on transition to democracy.

The entire world has seen more or less dramatic changes in objectives and status of plans, as well as how plans are devised. Recent plans are more diverse when it comes to setting objectives and mainly stress the sustainability of development, rather than development per se. Modernday plans are mainly strategic and collaborative rather than technocratic. Finally, these plans are mostly non- centralized as opposed, though national, regional/provincial and local hierarchies are still maintained. Iran's planning methodology has meanwhile transformed from the eclectic to the comprehensive and recently to the strategic approach. The Third Plan also initiated important steps toward decentralization in planning. If the present trend continues, Iran's future sectorial Plans will be mostly strategic and national, while the territorial composition will be mostly provincial.

The expatriation of the elites has undoubtedly been one of the most crucial national issues of the past two decades. From the early 1960s onward, brain drain has served as a problem, which researchers have studied form different perspectives using various approaches, so much so that giant global organizations such as the World Bank and the UNESCO conducted studies and attempted to offset its effects by offering recommendations for developing countries. These recommendations have now become universal. The first part of this article will briefly deal with the prevalent global theories and approaches toward brain drain. By studying the neoclassic theory, the push and pull factors, and terminology such as brain gain, the article will elaborate on terms such as "brain drain", "elite's expatriation", migration of academia and specialists, which is prevalent globally. The second part of the article will address brain drain or migration of the elites from Iran, fosusing on how it is different at the national level. All the research so far conducted on Iran's brain drain has been based on general analyses. In other words, what is globally known, as brain drain will remain a generalization if indigenous conditions are not taken into account? Based on available data, the most important factors leading to brain drain are reviewed under three headings: political and social, scientific and cultural, and economic.

The present article attempts to discuss crisis and natural disaster management. Natural disasters leave diverse impacts on affected communities. As such,a multi-dimensional approach should be adopted to understand these impacts. Selecting an appropriate level of analysis and discussion will highly facilitate awareness of this topic. Crises and disasters have for some time been described using a time- cycle approach. This article refers to the said approach, while referencing the Bam earthquake and then determining the required dimensions of education.