DANESH-E-ENTEZAMI
Year:2008 | Volume:10 | Issue:2 (39)|Papers Count:9

Societal security is a basic component of social and political order.This research was conducted in 2008-2009 in Ahvaz with the aim to probe, from a sociological perspective, the sense of societal security and to identify some of the social and political factors influencing it.Within a theoretical framework based on the Copenhagen School, three Dimensions of the sense of societal security were examined- personal security, financial security, and political security. The study utilized a questionnaire survey. The sample included 600 adult (16 years of age and older) residents of Ahvaz. Research results indicate that socioeconomic status and national identity have positive impacts on the sense of societal security while feelings of relative deprivation and powerlessness have negative effects on the sense of societal security. Furthermore, ethnic identity and gender affect the sense of personal security and the sense of financial security respectively.

The existence of mutual trust is necessary for the cooperation of the public with the police force in ensuring security and social order. This article is based on research conducted in 2007-2008, probing the level of people's trust in the police in comparison with other public organizations.The research benefited from a theoretical framework rooted in Giddens’ conception of trust in traditional and modem societies, Fukuyama's defined role of state in trust-building through public investment, and others. Among factors influencing trust, performance, hope for the future, and managerial and ethical characteristics of the police force were considered. A survey methodology was employed targeting adults in Tehran (20 years of age and older). Quota sampling was used. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 630 persons at their homes.Survey results indicate a. good level of trust in the police. In comparison with other government organizations (parliament, Assembly of Experts, the Guardian Council, the Judiciary, and the Executive), people place more trust in the police to address societal problems. Furthermore, the police force is ranked second in terms of people's trust among the Municipality, the public school system, and public hospitals. Public trust is at a good level in the managerial characteristics of the police and at ahigh level in their religious and moral characteristics.

Crises are inevitable facts of social life. Security/police institutions have a long history of managing crises. Yet, no comprehensive model of the crisis management process May be found in the literature despite its necessity. This article attempts at providing a comprehensive model of the crisis management process from a security/police perspective.Our conceptual model covers all stages prior to, during, and after a crisis. Anticipation, prevention, and preparedness comprise the three dimensions of our crisis management process model prior to events.Resumption, reconstruction, and learning are included in our model as post-crisis activities. Rescue and relief, special operations, and containment measures constitute the main management activities during the crisis in our model. FurtheMore, our model considers the outbreak of the crisis a special timeframe with its own characteristics which necessitate warning activities, protection, preliminary assessment, mobilization, and responsiveness to the public.

This article is based on a sociological analysis of the relationship between drug use and the role of emerging ethnic sub-cultural norms.Our survey population c9mprised eight Iranian ethnic sub-cultures treated as our unit of analysis-: Persian-speaking subcultures in Kerman, Yazd, and Razavi Khorasan Provinces; Lori-speaking subcultures of Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari and Lorestan Provinces; Arabic-speakers in the Khuzestan Province; Baluchis in the Sistan-Baluchestan Province; Turkomans in the Golestan Province; and Caspian area inhabitants in Gilan and Mazandaran provinces. The research benefited from a mixed qualitative-quantitative methodology. The qualitative methodology was used to identify facilitating norms in three areas of i) medical prescription of addictive drugs, ii) folklore and oral literature encouraging drug use, and iii) cultural mores and rituals related to drug use present in parties and celebrations. Respectively, seventeen, thirty one, and six items were identified in these three areas. The quantitative survey was prepared based on these qualitative results. Specifically, two hypotheses were developed, tested, and endorsed, and different subcultures were compared. Positive inclinations to norms were highest among Sistan- Baluchestanis and Persian-speakers and lowest among the Turkomans.

Despite the increasing rate of car accidents and the need for developing the culture of traffic and regarding the frequency of parallel actions taken to the betterment of traffic culture in Iran, no comprehensive model has been presented to prove of any help. The present paper tries to explore the ways to lessen the car accident rate through introducing a strategic traffic culture model. This is a field study which gathered the required data by questionaier asking questions from the experts of the field. The results have been used to propose committees and commissions in the organizational chart to develope a traffic cilture system.

Children and teenagers comprise a significant part of the Iranian society.The age for first criminal activity is decreasing in the country and has dropped to as low as 13 in some cases. Evidence shows some young persons involved in criminal activities are enrolled as students while others have been expelled from the school system. Along with other organizations, the police has a responsibility in preventing student criminal activity in terms of disciplinary (security and judicial) and non-disciplinary (social-institutional) measures. This article discusses factors influencing teenage criminal activity, the relationship between education and crime prevention, and the police-student interactions from the perspective of education experts. It is based on a survey conducted in 2006-2007 including all education experts in the east and northeast school districts of Tehran. All survey respondents had had both in- classroom and public office experiences. The questionnaire used for the survey had modules on demographic characteristics, factors influencing teenage criminal activity, students' perception of the police, the relationship between education and crime prevention, developmental community-based prevention, and other related issues.

National identity (N.I) is the most important and pervasive-level of identity in all social system that influences ail culturat social and even economic sphetes. Considering the significance of national identity as an important component of social order and solidarity, the present research has surveyed youth's awareness and feeling of belonging and commitment towards common symbols as indicators of national identity in society. In this research, impact of factors such' as globalization and external media usage, social satisfaction, socia-economic status on Youth Attitudes towards National Identity has been studied. The survey method was Used and data is collected through questioner by using scale which has been designed by researchers. The research population consists of the Roudsar youth {16 to 29 years} in Gilan Province, out of which a sample of 400 people have been selected and studied. Results indicate that: 1- %18.5 of respondent had high level of N.t %13 had medium levei of N.I and only %1.5 had fow level. 2 About %47 of sample has used external mass media such as internet and satellite. Statistical mean of national identity among this group was statistically lower than those who never use thiS media, 3- National identity has a positive correlation (r; ;: ; 0.50) with social satisfaction and a poor negative correlation.with socia-economic status. 4- Although all three independent variables had significant simple correlation with national identity, but only external media usage and social satisfaction met sufficient condition to enter the equation to predicate national identity. 5. Those variables, 011 the whole, could explain %30 variance of national identity.

The issue of security has been a major focus of political thinkers and rulers throughout history and is considered by many to be the main responsibility of the state. The Shia jurisconsults have been concerned with religious and political security for the Shia community during various periods, basing their opinions on Shia jurisprudence, the Koran, and prophetic/imamate traditions. Reservation, hasabiyeh affairs, moqaddameye vajeb, propagation of virtue and prevention of vice, and protection of the Islamic society were among the principles used by Shia jurisconsults to assert the necessity of security for the country and the Shia community. During the Constitutional Era, due to the weakness of the rule of the Qajar Dynasty in ensuring national security for the society, the Shia jurisconsults such as the three important sources of emulation, Akhud Khorasani, Mazandarani, and Tehrani, as well as Ayatollah Naini and other important figures saw the solution to the security issue in the Constitutional Movement and elaborated it through Islamic jurisprudence. This article describes these jurisconsults' religious opinions concerning national security through their political writings.It claims that, in lieu of new views, their conception of nationalsecurity is based on negation.