Dr Masoumeh Mirsafa, Dr Sara Habibi,
Volume 1, Issue 1 (1-2022)
Abstract
Despite decades of experience in urban planning, Iran lacks a robust urban policy framework to guide its rapid urbanization towards sustainable and resilient development. Moreover, its existing sectoral policies have failed to operate within an integrated framework. The formulation of a National Urban Policy (NUP), as proposed by UN-Habitat, offers a unified structure to facilitate the preparation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of urban policies nationwide. However, there is no single approach to develop NUP and urban policymaking in each country needs to be sensitive to its socio-economic and political context. This research employs a qualitative method to define Iran’s NUP framework and develop its content based on the specific circumstances of urbanization in Iran. Drawing on 32 national and international documents, the analysis identifies key themes for creating a sustainable urban future. The findings advocate for a contextualized and localized approach to formulating the NUP, incorporating six building blocks and twenty themes. They emphasize the necessity of a forward-thinking approach to urban planning, addressing critical issues such as climate change, internal migrations, aging populations, and the environmental impact of urbanization. The study also introduces a participatory, data-driven, and integrated approach to ensure the effectiveness of proposed policies and stresses the importance of periodic policy evaluation and adaptation to address future uncertainties.
M. Hedayatifard, R. Kheyroddin,
Volume 27, Issue 1 (6-2017)
Abstract
Because of the suitability of coastal lands for different groups of activities such as recreational, residential and commercial functions, there is an increasing demand among different stakeholders to benefit from these natural lands. The conflicts between the users, sometimes, lead to exclusiveness and limitation of public access to the shoreline. This article aims to recognize the main agents and mechanisms intensifying the spatial segregation and limitation of public access to the coast. By applying the qualitative methods of Interview and documentary analysis in the middle shoreline of Caspian Sea, the categorization of exclusive public shoreline, their supportive contexts and spatial outputs, are formulated. Findings show that in contrast to the privatization of publish shoreline throughout the world, in Iran, beside the role of private sector, it is the government who benefit from the shoreline exclusively. In order to find the role of institutional contexts, analyses of the formal and regulatory documents, laws and regulations, showed the negligence in performance of coastal and agricultural land use control systems which accelerate the processes of land use change and creation of exclusive spaces in the form of gated communities. In the last step, the analysis of interviews with key actors showed the unsuitable spatial consequences especially social segregation and also decline in economics of coastal cities.
H. Dadashpoor, N. Ghasemi,
Volume 27, Issue 2 (12-2017)
Abstract
Functional and structural changes of regional system are ongoing spatial changes that form patterns of spatial organization, depending on dominant regional forces and factors. Spatial structure of West Azerbaijan province experienced significant changes during 15 years; thus, the present research aim to investigate the manner of spatial distribution of two variables of population and activity, and correlation of these variables with spatial structure of the province during the years from 1996 to 2011. Quantitative method was employed for this aim and urban rank-size index was used to analyze settlement pattern of West Azerbaijan province; Kernel density and Moran method was used to analyze population data; general and local Moran data were used to analyze activity data; and regression method was used to see the degree of correlation between these variables. The results showed that spatial structure of west Azerbaijan was monocentric in 1996 while the of spatial distribution trend of the population and activity indicated decentralization tending toward clustered spatial pattern during 15-year period of time, due to high correlation between the given variables. In other words, some kinds of decentralized convergence took place. Such trend would change the spatial structure in West Azerbaijan province and needs to be properly oriented in the future planning of urban and regional development.
Mehdi Ziaei, Hashem Dadashpoor,
Volume 31, Issue 1 (1-2021)
Abstract
Over the last two decades, the focus of studies on the spatial organization of urban systems has shifted noticeably from classical theories such as “the central place theory” to utilizing novel theories based on the network essence of intercity relations, such as “the central flow theory”. This field of urban research, which has emerged under the term “external urban relations”, has developed through integrating contributions from many disciplines. However, different methodological traditions and interdisciplinary contexts in which the research is conducted are leading to ambiguity in how we understand and measure intercity relations. This study systematically reviews and analyzes the body of this new literature. It does so by innovatively employing a scientometric mapping approach, which is a combination of bibliometric and citation network analysis methods. This review is based on a publication set of 145 papers published on the subject since 1995. The number of publications covered by the Web of Science (WoS) shows a significant increase in the most recent years. The current study identifies 20 papers as playing a pivotal role in the evolution of the literature on urban external relations. Furthermore, the results revealed five conceptualizations before the 1990s at the classical theories era, along with two renowned conceptualizations during the 1990s (the transition decade), which have had the most impact on changes in the metamorphosis of theoretical fundamentals. The present developments are influenced by a wide range of various concepts, methods, and empirical approaches. Two different subfields (schools) of thought known as “world/global cities”, and “polycentricity” are identified by systemically integrating traditional top-down and bottom-up review methods. Their different aspects were also discussed.
Maedeh Hedayatifard,
Volume 35, Issue 1 (1-2025)
Abstract
This study examines the historical trends and dynamics of inter-regional migration in Iran between 1996 and 2011, focusing on the economic and spatial factors influencing migration flows between origin and destination regions. The analysis applies network analysis and multivariable regression to 961 inter-regional migration pairs. The findings reveal, first, that economically powerful regions such as Tehran, Isfahan, and Khorasan attract the highest levels of migration due to their diverse economic opportunities, infrastructure, and urban amenities. However, wealth alone does not determine migration activity. For example, regions like Khuzestan and Bushehr, despite their high GDP per capita, experience lower migration rates due to limited employment opportunities in capital-intensive sectors like oil and gas and a lack of economic diversification. Second, the analysis highlights that migration decreases with geographic distance but increases toward major urban centers like Tehran, reflecting the pull of agglomeration economies and access to services, which attract migrants from farther regions. Tehran's sustained position as a primary destination underscores its pivotal role in Iran's economic and social framework. The transition from smaller to larger migration flows, particularly in the 50,000–100,000 range and higher, reflects increasing urbanization and intensified migration trends driven by population growth, regional inequalities, and the concentration of opportunities in major cities. Third, between 1996 and 2011, non-productive sectors such as real estate and trade in origin regions pushed migration, while productive sectors like agriculture and fisheries retained populations. Conversely, financial intermediation and energy-related activities in destination regions attracted migrants. The findings also show that while regional wealth reduces out-migration, saturation effects in developed regions, such as high living costs and job market constraints, limit their attractiveness. These findings emphasize the importance of balanced regional development and the role of infrastructure and economic opportunities in shaping migration trends.
