GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH
Year:2018 | Volume:33 | Issue:1 (128)|Papers Count:15

Changing nature of the relationship between human and geographical environment has had considerable influence on geographical science school of thought. In terms of "ecological analysis", this relationship is one of the important research fields in geographical sciences. Geographic location is one of the key elements in the environment, which is divided into a number of subgroups. In all traditional and modern theories of geography, geographical location is one of the most important variables in power formulation and political behavior of countries. Maritime location and access to free waters an element of geographical location, and it is a significant variable in global theories of geopolitics and maritime studies. Countries’ access to maritime environment has both constraints and opportunities for countries. The purpose of this study is to explain the relationship between maritime location of countries and their Human Development Index (HDI), as well as comparison of HDI between maritime countries and landlocked countries. This research is basic in terms of its objective, and descriptive-analytic and correlative in terms of its nature and methodology. To expound the relationship between the maritime location of countries and their HDI, countries were ranked based on their maritime locations, and then the relationship between the two variables has been explained. The results of regression analysis show that the correlation coefficient between maritime location index and HDI equals 0. 314 (P value 0. 000<0. 05). The results show a significant relation between the maritime location and human development index, to the extent that maritime location index is increased by 1 unit, the HDI is increased by 0. 577 (constant 0. 649). Landlocked countries are selected as control group in order to illustrate the effect of access to the sea on HDI. The results of t-test indicate that maritime countries are ranked highly in HDI in comparison with landlocked countries (P value 0. 015<0. 05). According to the results, it can be suggested that maritime location is one of the factors affecting the development process of countries. But there are other factors which have higher explanatory power than maritime location.

The spatial planning rank as an interdisciplinary subject, has currently regained its status in many countries. Yet we cannot lose sight of the fact that, in certain cases, it has not achieved resounding success. The question that has faced Iranian geographers all along has been this: to what can be attributed the failure of Iran’ s spatial planning programmers despite the implementation of ten such plans over a five_ year period? In response to this query, a nongovernmental institute entitled The center for an Islamic_ Iranian Model of Progress was established in 2011 by a relatively large number of Iranian scientists who set up a group of think tanks designed to analyze and present a model for the development of Iran. An example of this set is the Think Tank of Fundamental Spatial Planning, which has published the results of this research project in the form of monographs. An investigation of the documents published by the think tank in question, as well as the analysis of the views of eighteen thinkers within the field of spatial planning by phenomenology method and Using Wittgensteinchr('39')s semantic network model, Wittgensteinchr('39')s model suggests that Iranian researchers at the Center of Islamic-Iranian Pattern for progress have different views on what is being presented as the knowledge of the land. In this regard, the main theoretical differences can be described in three categories. Spatial planning is not simply an experimental science based on universal rules, but rather a product of cultural and geographical systems based on characteristics of various nations. Land constitutes a spatial container in which a value oriented theory takes shape, and given the value differences between human societies, different spatial frameworks emerge. Thus, the values of Islam will form another kind of space that is not possible in the cultural system of Etna. Spatial identity is a factor overlooked in the science of spatial planning, which is emphasized in the fundamental arrangement. This factor ensures the development of creativity and the recognition of social configuration in Iranian societies.

This article seeks to examine the effects of the rise of ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) in Syria and Iraq on the political-security equations and power developments in the West Asia region. Regarding the neoclassical realism theory of international relations, the constant variable of this research is ISIS and its dependent variable is power developments in the Middle East region. The research method of this paper is "descriptive-analytical". The collected materials are presented quantitatively in tables using the library and documentary methods, and then analyzed based on the theoretical framework of the research. This article studies the various dimensions of the role of ISIS in Middle East dynamics. From the perspective of the paper, the first and most important consequence of the emergence of the ISIS terrorist group in West Asia is the "weakening of the resistance front" against the Zionist regime, which took place in two directions. First, by increase in the number of terrorist groups in the Middle East, the power of groups of the resistance axis are used to confront them. Second, the emergence of ISIS has created a rift between Sunni and Shiite, and resulted in internal differences in Islamic World that eventually is in the favor of Zionist regime. One more consequence of ISIS is the "Increase of “ Islamophobia” in the world. On the other hand, the ISIS crisis has made "negative impact on economy and development" in the region. Accordingly, we see the decline of Western Asian countries financial resources and their retardation from the process of economic and industrial development. In all, ISIS has caused security-economic damage to all actors in the Middle East and by challenging existing relative order, has increased the roots of distrust in the region, and has faced serious challenges to the peace prospects among the regionchr('39')s actors. © 2018 Geographical Researches.

West Asia has been the most crisis-torn region in global geopolitics since it has gone through a nation-state system following the collapse of Ottoman Empire, in which we have consistently witnessed most violent and unprecedented conflicts, either civil or regionalized as well as internationalized. In the meanwhile, the regional crises have increasingly been intensified in the turn of 3rd Millennium as a result of the expansive trans-regional interventions, internationally illegitimate occupation, increasingly regionalized civil wars; either directly or indirectly, regional states in West Asia as well as trans-regional actors, either great powers or international, security organizations, have been involved in the most violent and fatal military conflicts, to the extent which these intensified geopolitical crises seem to take a self-sustaining and self-reinforcing character, exemplified by Syrian crisis since 2010. In this framework, as an innovative endeavor, the paper seeks to explain the persistence of regional geopolitical crises, not least Syrian crisis in the West Asia, by drawing on explanatory-analytical method, using the day empirical evidence as well as historical data in order to provide a comprehensive multi-variable explanation and avoid reductionism inherent in current international analyses. In doing so, having presented a three-level analysis, it can be argued that an interacting synergizing set of some constituting and permitting factors has brought about the persistence of geopolitical crises in West Asia, especially Syrian crisis. On this basis, having combined sub-national, national, and international factors into a comprehensive theoretical model which can be applied to study on Syrian crisis, the paper finds that Geopolitical Crises in West Asia turn out to persist, and due to their increasingly accumulated challenges, spill over trans-regionally as well. A practical solution to deal with such undesirable situation is to normalize the state system based on removing the permitting and constituting obstacles, which can be involved some measures as effective sustainable states, regional conflict management, and lack of the expansive trans-regional interventionism.

Today we are living in the world filled with media, media codes and great crises simultaneously. It can be claimed that many arenas of our life-world are the creation of signs system and accordingly it can set the stage for crisis and the continuation of crises. It seems that if we make this connection especially with respect to the Islamic world in the chaotic region of the Middle East and the West after the September 11 attacks, the significance of the subject will be more obvious. In recent years post-colonial studies, have opened new horizons for researchers regarding media practice. In the present essay by using post-colonial theory the question has been proposed of who and under which conditions are engaging in the creation of discourse of truth instead of the Muslim world? The assumption of this article is that the main part of the Western domination [hegemony] in the cultural realm has been shaped by the media system. Based on evidences and issues of these recent years in the Islamic world (the Middle East), the present essay shows how the function of "media virtualization and truth making" speaks on behalf of the reality of the Islamic civilization. In this essay the descriptive and analytical method has been used and the viewpoints of post-colonial thinkers have been utilized.

Coastal states, have been affected by international law of the sea to develop and approve national laws that reflect their claims to the sea. These claims, are always considered by other countries, especially the neighbors and great sea powers and if these laws and claims are inconsistent with international laws and regulations or in conflict with their rights and interests at sea, they will respond to diplomatic objections. Kuwait also approved the rules in the field of territoriality at sea in the years 1949, 1967 and 2014, the Kuwaiti maritime zones law adopted in 2014 is the most complete and recent. The present study, with a descriptive-analytical approach and with documentary review, examined the law of Kuwaitchr('39')s maritime zones. Also in the Arc GIS software, the annexed map of the law has undergone cartographic analysis. Studies and analyzes indicate that the use of straight baselines at the mouth of the Kuwait Bay does not comply with the Convention on the Law of the Sea in the following cases. 1) The use of closing lines with a total length of more than 24 nautical miles in the mouth of the Kuwait Bay, 2) No official publication of the geographical coordinates of the points of straight baseline, 3) Insert the Awhah island behind the straight baseline, In addition, the cartographic analysis of the Kuwaiti Maritime zones Legislation Map, illustrates the interference and overlap between the Kuwaiti claimed maritime zones and the maritime zones of Iran. So far, the eastern boundary of the Kuwaitchr('39')s exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf has exceeded the Middle line of Persian Gulf, and even the fourth point of the Kuwait-Saudi Arabian maritime boundary (agreed in 2000). This expanding territoriality and transit through the Middle Line, violate the principles and rules of international law of the sea. Meanwhile, Iran and Kuwait have not reached an agreement on the delimitation of the continental shelf. Due to the presence of oil and gas resources and fields in this area, such acts and claims affect the process of delimiting the boundaries of the continental shelf of the two countries.

One of the dimensions of democracy is the homological, responsive and welcoming spaces. Power in space includes a variety of features and different aspects. Hence, the relationship between women and men in the city can be analyzed with theories of power and social inequality. It should be mention that the authority and domination in decision making and space utilization, designing, restrictions affect the behavior and nature of urban public spaces. In this research, we try to consider the dimensions of the right to the city in urban space from the perspective of women. Required data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. Methodologically speaking, the type of research is applied research and the analyzes are performed by quantifying the data and using SPSS software. Accordingly, two sets of measures were questioned. First, Requirements for the presence and participation of women in urban spaces. Second, The diversity of womenchr('39')s participation and participation in urban spaces. The first factors are called “ the right to the city” factors and the second factors have been known as “ The right to difference Results show that, the privilege of the points attributed to the right to the city is greater than those of the right to difference. Adding to this, the other Inference refers to the fact that There is a meaningful relationship between variables such as age, marital status, level of education and duration of stay in space with the right to the city. In most of the questions, women have acknowledged that they are faced with serious restrictions in public spaces. The Path analysis of the variable which affect the right to the city and the participation of women shows that Two measures of “ diversity of people and The attendance with the aim of spending leisure time have the least effect. On the other hand, four measure The variety of current activities in space, Safety and lightening of space at night, Lack of hidden spaces, the diversity of the presence of people (with the aim of buying), have the most impact on the right to the city and the feelings of womenchr('39')s participation.

Every development program and management planning for natural areas should be done based on ecological capabilities of the area in order to achieve continuous and efficient utilization of these areas. Ecological Potential Assessment is due to the necessity of choosing and optimizing the utilization of ecological potential, in terms of planning studies and environmental management in order to achieve the principle of sustainable development. The goal of this research is to determine ecological conditions of Gaz Deraz-Lavar-e Saheli watershed for agricultural and rangeland uses and also its comparison with current land use map of the area. In this research, first the criteria and sub criteria were determined evaluating different documents. The main criteria used in this research includes topographic maps, soil maps, lithology maps, climate maps, vegetation maps, and current land use maps. Then the scores and importance of these criteria and sub criteria were determined using the prepared questionnaires completed by experts. These criteria were weighted using hierarchical analysis Process in Expert Choice environment. Finally, all information layers were overlaid using weighted linear combination (WLC) method in Arc map and final ecological capability map for agriculture and rangeland uses was prepared for the area. The results show that in the final map of agriculture and rangeland uses, there are no classes of 1 and 2 of agriculture due to erosion and salinity limitation and also, no classes of 1 and 2 of rangeland due to slope area, climate, vegetation cover and soil depth. Also, in total area of the watershed (19964 ha), class 3 of agriculture is 3780 ha (18. 93%), class 3 of rangeland is 9895. 6 ha (49. 56%) and class 4 of rangeland is 6095. 5 ha (30. 56%). The results show that integration of hierarchical analysis process and geographical information system for land capability assessment and identification of best criteria for capability assessment can be useful in proper management of the area, conservation of available resources and achieving sustainable development.

In the past decades, following the mixed methodological movement in the social sciences, extensive use has been made of the use of mixed methods by geographers. However, in geographic studies in Iran, for some reason, this method remains confused and not used. Therefore, this research tends to discover causes of limited application of mixed methods among the faculties and post graduate students of Geography and urban planning in 5 universities of Iran. To achieve this goal, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used based on sequential exploratory and equal importance. In this method, qualitative data were first collected and analyzed and then in the second stage quantitative data (as supplementary plan) were collected and analyzed. Finally, both qualitative and quantitative analyzes were interpreted together. The research’ s statistical population was post graduate students and faculties of geography and urban planning departments of 5 Iran universities included: Shahid Beheshti University, University of Tabriz, Zanjan University, Mohagegh Ardabili University and Kharazmi University. In this research, the sampling method, was used mixed method. In the quantitative part, a random sampling method was used and the sample size was determined based on the Cochran formula. In qualitative sampling, 10 faculty members of geography and urban planning groups of the universities were interviewed. The research tool in the qualitative section was an unstructured interview. In a qualitative part of the study, 81 students were selected by random sampling from among graduate students of this field. In order to analysis findings, T-one sample test were used. The results indicated that intrinsic factors of mixed methods are followed: vagueness of mixed methods, faculty member’ s unfamiliarity with this methods and structural factors includes journals agenda, quantity of the education system and rejection of this methods by faculties which lead to the limited application of mixed methods by the students and faculties in the Geography and Urban Planning researches.

Urban development based on the principles of sustainable development has been one of the main concepts of urbanization in the last decade. The term sustainable urban development means providing the necessary grounds for the balanced and efficient utilization of urban resources so that all citizens can benefit from urban economic, social and environmental infrastructure in accordance with their needs. The aim of this research is to investigate the sustainability status in Tabriz metropolis. This is a descriptive-analytic research. The statistical population of this research is the inhabitants of all ten regions of Tabriz, and 500 individuals over 15 years old are selected as sample size using simple random sampling by the classified method. The validity of the questionnaire was verified by experts and the reliability of the different parts of the questionnaire obtained the score of 0. 876 to 0. 881 using Cronbachchr('39')s alpha coefficient. Fuzzy TOPSIS Method is used to evaluate the variables in order to assess the sustainability, the model of barometer sustainability is used. Also to infer and testability of data the statistical tests such as Anova test, T test and Tukey and Scheffe tests are used. Drawing of maps related to the stability of Tabriz urban areas has been done using GIS software. According to the results, region 8 is the most sustainable region and region 3 is the most unstable region. Also, all 10 regions of Tabriz with sustainability value of 0. 591 are in medium sustainability status. The status of the regions in terms of human welfare and ecosystem well-being was also equal to 0. 548 and 0. 515 respectively. The results of T and Anova tests also showed that according to the sustainability barometric results, physical, social, economic and environmental dimensions are of the most importance respectively. Tukey and Scheffe tests also demonstrated the stability gap between different dimensions of sustainability. Finally, according to the findings of the research and taking into account the situation of the tens of ten regions of Tabriz, practical suggestions are presented in accordance with different dimensions of sustainable urban development.

Cut-off low pressure systems are defined as closed lows in the upper troposphere that have become completely detached from the main westerly current. Cut-off low is one of the phenomena affecting the climate of Iran. This article attempts to examine the extent of this effect and its relation to some of the Indects Teleconnection. The characteristics of Cut-off Lows in Iran are studied for the period 1976– 2015. To identify these systems, the Raul Nieto algorithm was used with automatic detection capabilities. The systematic identification of Cut-off Lows is realized by applying an original automated scheme using mean daily geo-potential height, wind and air temperature at 500 hPa NCEP. Cut-off Lows are more frequent during spring in the IRAN, with a maximum of frequency in March. Over the period 1976– 2015, the annual Cut-off Lows frequency exhibits a positive trend. In this study, the most cutoff lows lasted only 2 days. In the seasonal study of lifetime, it was revealed that in the winter and spring, the highest survival was 2 days, and in the summer and autumn, it was one day. Cut-off Lows Systems are largely influenced by the ENSO and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). During La Nina events Cut-off Lows are found to be more frequent and during El Nino events Cut-off Lows are found to be less frequent in Iran. In general, NAO negative phase exhibits a lower number of Cut-off Lows systems. During positive NAO months, a high occurrence of Cut-off Lows is detected for cold seasons on the other hand, during negative NAO months this high density of Cut-off Lows is detected for warm seasons. Finally This study provides an observational case study of a cut-off low that developed over North of Iran early February 1991. This Cut-off Low is formed in the eastern arm of the Omega Block.

The estimation of land surface temperature (LST) is useful for a wide range of applications such as agriculture, urban heat island (UHI), Energy Management, climate related extreme and climate change studies. The MODIS LST products are created as a sequence of products beginning with a swath (scene) and progressing, through spatial and temporal transformations, to daily, eight-day and monthly global gridded products. The purpose of this study is to analyze the output data of MODIS in order to manage the night time temperature of both night and day in the geographical area of Iran. For this purpose, the MODIS data on land surface temperature which were generated using the day-night algorithm, were extracted for the 2001-2015 period based on the output of the product called MOD11C3 (V5). Then a matrix with the dimensions of 62258 × 4855 was formed. 62, 258 in the array of cells with a spatial resolution of 5 km and 4855 representative designated days, which in the next step were reduced to 62 258 × 12 arrays. 12 being the representative of the months of the year. The final analysis of surface temperatures was evaluated using kriging. The results show that the coldest overnight temperatures of land surface happen in December through February, reaching to-20 degrees Celsius. Also regarding geographical locations, the pattern matches the ripples, especially the western half, North and North-West and North-Khorasan. September is the transition period from warm to cold nocturnal land surface temperature, and March is the transition period from cold to warm temperature. A focus of warm temperature of land surface could be observed in different months of the year. These warm temperatures are dominant in warm areas from April through September. The variety of nocturnal land surface temperature in Iran is high. Heights and ripples are significant factors in determining the nocturnal land surface temperature in different areas of Iran.

Regarding the close relationship between poverty and vulnerability, villages that are impoverished have vulnerabilities and critical situations in terms of access to and maintenance of various types of capital. Several decades of activity based on different approaches, such as the Green Revolution, Industrialization of villages and integrated rural development, failed to solve the rural poverty issue and many of the problems caused by rural poverty remained unresolved. Therefore, a new approach that emphasized on the poor and vulnerable rural populations was needed in the field of rural development theory in order to re-establish vitality in the villages. Today, there is a huge emphasis on the elimination of poverty as one of the main obstacles to the realization of rural system sustainability. This is despite the fact that the sustainable livelihoods approach, the main emphasis to sustainable rural livelihoods and poverty alleviation is diversifying the rural economy with an emphasis on non-agricultural activities. In this regard, today, due to the widespread acceptance and potential of rural tourism development in rural areas has been proposed as a way to make and supplements to sustainable rural livelihoods. The present study was to evaluate the role of tourism in sustainable rural livelihoods of Uraman tourism target villages before the tourism development has been done due to geographical isolation and lack of infrastructure development and low level of quality of life. The research method is analytical, based on quantitative-qualitative approach. Documentary resources and field data collection, based on interviews and questionnaires distributed among 250 random households of Uraman villages which by Cochran formula of 1110 households were set volume. The results of the data analysis by descriptive statistics (mean) and inferential statistics (t single sample, t test, Wilcoxon, chi-square, Friedman) shows the positive impact of tourism as an important strategy in improving the livelihoods and security sustainable livelihoods of Uraman villages.

Today, entrepreneurship is one of the most important strategies for the development of local communities that in order to develop it, basic studies in this field are essential. Given the importance of entrepreneurship in the economic and social development of todaychr('39')s societies, it is important to explain the status of entrepreneurial indicators among villagers, as well as identify factors that can be effective in strengthening entrepreneurial indices. The present quantitative study, conducted via descriptive-analytical method, is aimed at investigating and assessing the state of entrepreneurship indicators and identifying factors affecting those indicators in rural residences of Ravansar Township. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire. The statistical population of the study consists of all heads of rural households in Ravansar Township as 5668 individuals. To achieve the research objectives, comparison tests, frequency distribution table, Pearson correlation coefficient and Spearman and multivariate regression were used in SPSS software. The results regarding enjoyment of heads of households from the entrepreneurship indicators indicated that the degree of enjoyment of 39. 2% of the participants were at low and very low levels, 45. 5% of them were at the moderate level, and about 15. 3% of them were at high and very high levels. All in all, the mean calculated for villagers’ enjoyment of entrepreneurship indicators was about 2. 74% which is a level lower than the moderate one. The results of multivariate regression indicated that five identified variables could explain about 70% of the variance of entrepreneurship indicators in the studied area. The identified variables and the explained percentage of each of them are as follows: socioeconomic status (0. 391), access to facilities and equipment (0. 315), social capital (0. 244), performance of management institutions (0. 240), and ownership of capital resources (0. 191) respective to their significance. Results the relationship between entrepreneurship indices and the variables studied showed in among the 11 variables studied, the relationship between entrepreneurship and gender variables; Internet access, age, household size, and distance to essential centers were not statistically significant and the mentioned variables have not related to entrepreneurship.

Political culture is one important topic in sociology, history, political science. However, the political culture as a human phenomenon, not only influenced by geographical environment and its political geographic position. But also, natural and human Geographical features effects on culture and ideology characteristics in any nation. natural features phenomenon in geographical spatial such political topics basically react from physical and humanity of geographical aspects. In this regard, Iranian political culture studies show the centralized governance has more grass root organization in political culture of Iran. This paper seeks to answer the question: “ what factors are of centralize and negative mentality about foreign powers in Iran? ” In this paper with rely on descriptive – analytical approaches were studied that geographical basics source of two major traits, inclusive negative mentality to foreign powers and faithfulness to centralization structure. Finding research reveals that Incommensurate distribution of natural resource such as water, productive soil has been caused that only centralized state could be managed this inappropriate situation. From another side, Existence Fossil source in Iran has been caused that foreign powers rivaled for accessing to it. Therefore, Iranchr('39')s political culture is ruling pro-independence and becoming the undisputed military power has always been pursued in earnest by the various governments. Also, in most oil-rich countries especially in the Middle East, including Iran, more than 50 percent of state revenues directly achieved from the sale of oil and sources of income in the hands of the state as a powerful tool, allows extension of state political power and limits the power of private institutions and social structures. In the cultural geography of Iran, the religion and governance system hs always been a great combination. So, In the Iranian political culture based on the integration of religion with power the distribute political power in space and greater role by private institutions is not possible.