The Relationship between Social Capital and Sustainable Development of Borderline Areas (Case Study: Western Suburb Dehestan of Susangerd County)

Document Type : علمی

Authors

• Abdoreza Roknodin Eftekhari ¹
• Seyyed Reza Hosieni Kahnoj ²
• Sadegh Mokhtari Chelche ²
• Yaghoub Esfarm ³

¹ Tarbiat Modarres University

² Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz

³ Shahid Behashti University

10.22067/jrrp.v5i2.47983

Abstract

Extended Abstract
1. INTRODUCTION
An advantageous development strategy for rural regions, known as rural sustainable development, contrast to the antecedent ones, is based on a systematic and holistic approach which involves fundamental aspects shaping a rural development system and a harmonized bonding between them. Given the definitions of sustainable development, its basic components are progressive economy, social welfare, environmental quality, and good governance. It means that there should be a healthy life that should be achieved by satisfying the basic needs for people, together with keeping the environmental quality up, and realizing a high standard of living. In general, a sustainable development is a process through which a comprehensive, forward-looking approach, and a persistent satisfaction are established via making a reasonable relation between humans and environment as well as within its components; a rational intervention in order to keep the relation sustained dynamically, an integration of advanced technology with indigenous knowledge and recognizing the right of individuals. To evaluate the rural sustainability in terms of condition of the area and the problem posed in this study, it is necessary to integrate the sustainable development indexes with social capital theory.
2. RESEARCH FOUNDATIONS
One of the important features in social sustainable development is the use of capital concept in its social dimension. Though the word capital has primarily been applied in economics since two past decades, it has progressively been adopted in social domains and is now considered as a significant concept in the development issues. Social capital has been added to three other categories of capital concept, which are commonly referred to as physical or manufacturing, natural, and human capitals in economic analyses. Typically, the economic growth and development are based on physical or manufacturing, natural, and human capitals which are recognized as the wealth of a nation. It is recently found that these three kinds of capital function merely in a part of economic growth process because they do not have any effect on the way in which the agents economically interact and adjust each other. Therefore, in order to find out the discrepancy in growth of different countries which have an identical situation based on these three kinds of capitals, it is need to look for a missing link, which is social capital.
The main concern of policy makers is why the difficult economic condition and the lives of people are getting worse while the government is injecting huge investment into both manufacturing and service sectors? Commonly, when we are talking about economic problems we highlight a scarcity of physical capital without considering the social capital. However, need of social capital in recession or inflation conditions that require trustworthiness is much more felt than other capitals and the social capital along with the other capitals can solve many problems in economy.
3. METHODOLOGY
The method of this research is descriptive-analytical. The data was collected through both field and library sources using a researcher–designed questionnaire (according to findings of theoretical framework). The indexes and variables were operated by using suitable items and the questionnaire’s validity was measured by Chronbach alpha test. The population consisted of inhabitants of villages in western suburb (including 19 villages; 1324 households with a total population of 5717 individuals). The sample was selected through Cochran method (people above 15 years as criterion) in terms of geographically distributed population by random sampling method. The ultimate data was analyzed using SPSS software.
4. CONCLUSION
The findings of the study indicate that there exists a direct and strong correlation between social capital and rural sustainability, and that as the range of social capital expands, the villages become more sustainable. Given the findings, it can be said that the social capital has a capability to make a village socially and environmentally viable, dynamic, and sound. The results obtained based on this hypothesis show that all the social capital indicators can function to achieve to a sustainable development in the villages. The rural communities believe that the social capital is effective in promoting the quality of life and environment. In addition, the higher the tested social capital indicators are, the more improved and desirable village sustainability will be. It is due to the fact that the social confidence improves the interaction of villagers followed by increased collaborations. Therefore, social capital increases the confidence and participation among villagers contributing to a better and a more persistent village.

Keywords

• Social capital
• Sustainable development
• border areas
• Sosangerd county

---

References

1. Abdollah, M., & Mousavi, M. (1385/2006). Social capital in the status quo of Iran, prospective and Feasibility of Transition History. Social Welfare Quarterly, 6(25), 195-234. [In Persian]

2. Alavi, B. (1380/2001). Role of social capital in development. Tadbir Monthly, 12(116), 34-40. [In Persian]

3. Amin Bidokht, A. (1385/2006). Rating of degree of development in Semnan province. Geography Education Journal, 76, 17-23. [In Persian]

4. Asian Productivity Organization (APO), (2006) Potential of social capital for community development, published by the Asian Productivity Organization, edited by Yokoyama, S. & Sakurai, T. Tokyo, Japan, ISBN: 92-833-7050-3. Retrieved 2 July 2014 from http://URL: www.apo-tokyo.org;

5. Aziri, S. (1387/2008). Study on factors affecting on agriculture sustainable development. Natural Resources and Agriculture Engineering Quarterly, 21(1), 22-27. [In Persian]

6. Azkia, M. (1377/1998). Rural sustainable development. Tehran: Etelaat Press. [In Persian]

7. Bidokhti, A., & Nazari, M. (1388/2009). Introduction of a theoretical framework for institutionalizing social capital components to improve economic performance. Yas Strategic Quarterly, 19, 55-76. [In Persian]

8. Coleman, J. (2002). Social capital in the creation of human capital. In: C., Calhoun, & Others, Contemporary Sociological Theory (pp. 110-125). Oxford: Blackwell.

9. Cramb, R. A. (2005). Social capital and soil conservation: evidence from the Philippines. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 49(2), 211-226. ‏

10. Dadapour, S. (1391/2012). Solutions for increasing social capital in micro-scale in coincidence with urban design. Tagh Monthly, 63, 32-35. [In Persian]

11. Fukuyama, F. (1999). Social capital and civil society. The Institute of Public Policy, George Mason University.

12. Lehto, E. (2001). Social capital in rural development: How can rural communities compete effectively in the global economy? Finland: University of Joensuu.

13. Miri, Gh., Javan, J., Afrakhteh, H., & Velayati, S. (1389/2010). Social capital role in rural development. Journal of Geography and Regional Development, 8(14), 29-50. [In Persian]

14. Mousavi, M., Haydari, H., & Bagheri, A. (1391/2012). Study of social capital role in reconstructing old texture (Case study: Sardasht city). Journal of Studies & Researches of Regional & Urban, 4(15), 105-122. [In Persian]

15. Pourtaheri, M., Sajasi-e-Ghidari, H., & Sadeqlou, T. (1388/2009). Measurement and priority social sustainability in rural regions with using TOPSIS-FUZZY technique based on order preference by similarity to a fuzzy ideal solution (Case study: Central Distrcit of Khodabandeh County). Journal of Rural Researches, 1(1), 1-31. [In Persian]

16. Rezvani, M. (1385/2006). Determine and analyze the surfaces having rural areas of Zanjan province. Geographical Research Quarterly, 36(50), 75-86. [In Persian]

17. Saidaee, A., Ahmadi Shapourabadi, M., & Moeinabadi, H. (2009). Introduction on social capital and its relation to social development of Iran. Yas Strategic Journal, 19, 188-225. [In Persian]

18. Saif Al Dini, F. (1376/1997). Popular participation, planning & development. Journal of Social and Human Science 2, 147-164. [In Persian]

19. Sheikh, A. (1381/2002). Counsel and participation: Application of participation method in urban management. Tehran: Culture &Thought press. [In Persian]

20. Tavakoli, M., & Tajbakhsh, K. (1387/2008). Analyzing the Level of Social Capital in Rural and Urban Border Areas of Sistan Region. Journal of Village and Development, 11(2), 143-162. [In Persian]

21. Zahedi, sh., & Najafi, Gh. (1385/2006). Sustainable development, a new conceptual framework. Journal of Modarres Human Sciences, 10(49), 43-76. [In Persian]