A Study on the Villagers’ Semantic Understanding of Functional Challenges in Rural Settlements (Case Study: Centeral District of Ravansar County)

Document Type : علمی

Authors

1 University of Isfahan

2 Kharazmi University

Abstract

Purpose- During recent decades, rural settlements in developing countries have undergone significant changes in global development and in pursuit of development, in accordance with the geographic conditions governing them. The intensity and direction of these changes have been different. The study of functional changes of rural settlements located in the central district of Ravansar County is the main objective of this study.
Design/methodology/approach- This applied research is a qualitative research that has been carried out using Grounded Theory Method. The methodological approach of the dominant theory in this research is the Glaser’s (1978) approach.
Finding- The findings of the research indicate that during a systematic process, rural subsistences have progressed towards gradual economic development through the two concepts of agrarian reforms and mechanization of the agricultural sector.
This positive trend, with institutional interferences and inefficient rural development policies, the economic downturns of villages have finally provided the ground for the functional development of villages through the implementation of inheritance law, poor management of environmental resources, cross-sectoral supportive policies, and targeted subsidies.
This functional development of villages has many symbols, including a strong tendency towards service activities, the prevalence of consumerism, the formation of affiliated villages, a strong market dependence, and so on. It should be noted that in the present research, "inefficient rural development policies" have been identified as a central issue.
Research limitations/implications- Low familiarity of the rural population with Persian language (due to the fact that the inhabitants of the study area are Kurds), the high cost of commuting to the villages, the difficulty of establishing trust with villagers, and the lack of welcoming support from institutions related to rural affairs for the researchers in the various stages of the research were the most important limitations of this research.
Practical implications- A fundamental revision of rural development policies in view of the changes that have taken place in rural settlements, in accordance with the geographic conditions governing them, is the most important scientific solution of the present research.
Originality/value- In the current research, for the first time in Iran, functional changes in villages have been deeply studied through Grounded Theory Method.

Keywords

References

1. Abasian, E., & Mehregan, N. (2008). Productivity in the services sector in the Iran's economy and ways to improve it. Journal of Economic Policy, 1(4), 19-36.
2. Aghajani, M., Zandavi, S. M., & Ataii, A. (1393/2014). The role of tourism in town's functional changes with an emphasis on sustainability indicators (case study: Arbaklh and Lorsanvar villages in Ramsar Township). Journal of Geography and Environmental Studies, 11(3), 7-22. [In Persian]
3. Akbari, N., & Mesrinejad, SH. (1382/2003). The study of employment in the main economic sectors in Isfahan province during 1986-1996. Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, 3(4), 54-71. [In Persian]
4. Alekseev, A. (2014, August). Changes in the functions of rural settlements in Central Russia. Paper presented at the IGU Regional Conference on International Geographical Union Regional, Krakow, Poland. Retrieved from http://www.geo.uj.edu.pl/konferencja/igu2014/programme/pdf/ C12_34_PPC5/Alekseev_Changes.pdf.
5. Azkia, M., & Ghafari, Gh. (1383/2004). Rural development with an emphasis on Iran. Tehran: Ney press. [In Persian]
6. Behforoz, F. (1364/1989). Evolution of geographic studies of new rural settlements in the format of human – environmental and zone approach. Journal of Teaching Geography, 17(2), 35-56. [In Persian]
7. Dollfus, O. (1373/1994). Geographic analysis (S. Sahami, Trans.). Tehran: Nika. [In Persian]
8. Ebadi, B., Ghoreishi, M. B., & Molaei Hashjin, N. (2015). Factors affecting functional changes of rural settlements in the southwest of Tehran in the post-Islamic revolution in Iran. Journal of Applied Sciences, 15(7), 982-990.
9. Elyasi, H. (1368/1989). The realities of underdevelopment. Tehran: Enteshar. [In Persian]
10. Farhodi, R., & Mohamadi, A. (1385/2006). Analysis and the prediction of the employment status in Sanandaj by using the shift-share, location coefficient and Gini coefficient models. Geographical Studies, 55(3), 189-202. [In Persian]
11. Farshad Far, Z., & Asghar Pour, H. (1389/2010). Studying the mployment generating relative advantage in economic sectors of Kermanshah Province. Knowledge and Technology, 1(2), 60-75. [In Persian]
12. Firoznia, Gh., & Roknodin Eftekhari, A. (1392/2013). Persistence of economic functions in depopulating rural areas; A case study of Qazwin area. Geographic Space, 41(2), 37-56. [In Persian]
13. Ghadiri Masoom, M., Barghi, H., Jamini, D., & Jamshidi, A. (1393/2014). The employment situation in rural areas of Iran during 1956-2006: A case study of the rural areas of Isfahan Province. Human Geography Research Quarterly, 46(2), 379-398. [In Persian]
14. Ghadiri Masoum, M., & Azmi, A. (1389/2011). Assessment of rural employment developments and factors affecting it. Journal of Geographical Landscape, 4(10), 101-120. [In Persian]
15. Ghafari, R., Rajaei, M. A., Dostyirani, L., & Nasiri, E. (1390/2011). Spatial Analysis of the economic strucher employment in Chahrmahalo Bakhtiari Province. Geography, 9(31), 277-306. [In Persian]
16. Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine.
17. Jamini, D., Ghadermarzi, H., & Mafakheri, A. (2016, October). Semantic understanding of citizens from the consequences of belt in small cities using Grounded Theory method (Case study: Shahu City) Paper presented at the First National Conference on the New approaches in Regional planning and sustainable development, Islamic Azad University of Marvdasht, Iran. [In Persian]
18. Jamini, D., Taghdisi, A., & Jamshidi, A. (1393/2014). Spatial analysis of employment and unemployment in the townships of Kermanshah. Journal of Human Geography, 6(2), 69-88. [In Persian]
19. Jamshidi, M. (1393/2014). Effects of drought on the socio-economic structure of the rural areas dependent on agriculture: A case study of Sirvan and Chardavol Township (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Isfahan, Isfahan. [In Persian]
20. Jamshidi, M., Jamshidi, A., & Shikhi, H. (1395/2016). Introduction of Grounded Theory approach for conceptual modeling of implications of economic changes in villages of Chardavol County: A case study of villages of Shabab sub-district, on the way to Karbala. Journal of Village and Development, 19(3), 163-184. [In Persian]
21. Li, D., Wang, D., Li, H., Zhang, S., & Tian, W. (2017). The effects of rural settlement evolution on the surrounding land ecosystem service values: A case study of the eco-fragile areas, China. International Journal of Geo-Information, 6(49), 1-13.
22. Meftah, S., & Zarinsaz, R. (1381/2002). 168 national strategies for employment. Journal of Cooperatives, 137(3), 6-12. [In Persian]
23. Mohamadpour, A., & Iman, M. T. (1387/2008). The meaning reconstruction of economic changes’ consequences in Ouraman-e-Takht region of Iranian Kurdistan: A Grounded Theory approach. Social Welfare Quarterly, 7(4), 191-214. [In Persian]
24. Moshiri, S. R., Mahdavi, M., & Amar, T. (1383/2004). The need for change in the economic performance of rural areas (Case study: Khorgami district of Roodbar township). Geographical Research, 50(3), 143-159. [In Persian]
25. Nagler, P., & Naude, W. (2017). Non-farm entrepreneurship in rural sub-Saharan Africa: New empirical evidence. Food Policy, 67, 175–191.
26. Papoli Yazdi, M. H., & Ebrahimi, A. (1381/2002). Theories of rural development. Tehran: SAMT press. [In Persian]
27. Rahmani Fazli, A., & Saidi, A. (1394/2016). Development and security integrity in border regions: A conceptual discussion. Geography, 13(47), 7-33. [In Persian]
28. Ritzer, G. (1379/2000). Sociological theories in modern times (M. Salasi, Trans.). Tehran: Institute of Scientific Publications. [In Persian]
29. Safavi, B. (1383/2004). Investigating the potential of job creation in the technology sector. Economic Research, 5(19), 143-167. [In Persian]
30. Saidi, A. (1390/2011). Structural-functional dynamism: A systematic approach in spatial Studies. Geography, 9(29), 7-16. [In Persian]
31. Saidi, A. (1391/2012). Fundamental concepts in physical planning space. Quarterly Spatial Physical Planning, 1(1), 9-26. [In Persian]
32. Saidi, A., Taleshi, M., & Rabet, A. (1392/2013). Dwelling renewal and structural-functional transformation of rural housing: The case of villages of Idjrud County (Zanjan). Geography, 11(38), 5-31. [In Persian]
33. Saidi, P. (1388/2009). The new rural management in entrepreneurship and job creation in villages. Development Strategy Journal, 5(19), 171-187. [In Persian]
34. Scheibling, J. (1377/1998). What is geography (S. Sahami, Trans.). Tehran: Mohaghegh press. [In Persian]
35. Sidali, M., Rahmani, B., Saidi, A., & Tavakolinia, J. (1393/2014). Structural changes of rural spaces in Iran and its effects on the development of rural areas (Case study: Javanmardi and Baghbehzad villages, Lordegan). Urban Management, 8(35), 201-217. [In Persian]
36. Statistical Center of Iran. (1345/1966). Sarshomariye maskan va nofus [Population and housing census]. Tehran: Statistical Center of Iran. [In Persian]
37. Statistical Center of Iran. (1355/1976). Population and housing census. [In Persian]. Tehran: Statistical Center of Iran. [In Persian]
38. Statistical Center of Iran. (1365/1986). Population and housing census. [In Persian]. Tehran: Statistical Center of Iran. [In Persian]
39. Statistical Center of Iran. (1375/1996). Population and housing census. [In Persian]. Tehran: Statistical Center of Iran. [In Persian]
40. Statistical Center of Iran. (1385/2006). Population and housing census. [In Persian]. Tehran: Statistical Center of Iran. [In Persian]
41. Statistical Center of Iran. (1390/2011). Population and housing census. [In Persian]. Tehran: Statistical Center of Iran. [In Persian]
42. Tavana, M., & Entekhabi, A. (1386/2008). The process of transforming the village into the city and its consequences in the Talesh County. Geography and Development Iranian Journal, 10(4), 108-127. [In Persian]
43. Tavasli, Gh. (1370/1991). Sociological theories. Tehran: SAMT press. [In Persian]
44. Todaro, M. (1364/1985). Economic development in the third world (Gh. Farjadi & H. Sohrabi, Trans.). Tehran: Plan and Budget Organization Press. [In Persian]
45. Urquhart, C. (2013). Grounded theory for qualitative research. London: Sage.
46. Venkatesh, P. (2013). Recent trends in rural employment and wages in India: Has the growth benefitted the agricultural labours? Agricultural Economics Research Review, 26, 13-20.
Send comment about this article
CAPTCHA Image

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 25 February 2017
  • Accept Date: 25 February 2017

Share

How to cite

Statistics