Power, Politics, and the Mechanisms of Land Use Change in the Peri-Metropolitan Region of Tehran; A Case Study of Shemiranat County-Lavasanat

Authors

1 Tarbiat Modares university

2 Tarbiat Modares University

3 Tarbiat Modares Univ

Abstract

The present article offers a comprehensive, multilayered analysis of institutional frameworks, spatial planning strategies, and built environment attributes associated with land-use change in Shemiranat County. Consisting of two districts, three rural districts, and four cities—Tajrish, Lavasan, Oshan–Fasham–Meygun, and Shemshak—Shemiranat constitutes one of the most intricate peri-metropolitan regions surrounding Tehran. The main objective of this study is to examine the spatial patterns of land-use change and to elucidate the institutional, policy, and socio-political mechanisms responsible for these transformations by integrating quantitative spatial analysis with explanatory thematic analysis within a critical orientation. The analysis encompasses the past two decades (2000–2019) and projects future trends up to 2038, covering two 20-year periods.
Applying a hybrid sequential–explanatory approach, the study initially identifies spatial patterns of land-use change through quantitative analyses and CA–Markov modeling; subsequently, it interprets the underlying institutional and policy mechanisms via explanatory thematic analysis of qualitative data. Spatial findings are synthesized with qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews, official document analysis, and field observations within a coherent analytical framework. The results indicate that the Lavasanat district has experienced the greatest extent of land-use changes; Rudbar Qasran has undergone linear expansion along transportation corridors and tourism areas; and urban Shemiran is characterized by endogenous densification and constraints on horizontal development. Institutionally, the absence of coordination among decision-making entities, conflicts of interest between local and national authorities, and ineffective regulatory frameworks have significantly contributed to the acceleration of land-use conversion in the region. Through the introduction of institutional power indices and policy scenarios, the article advances a framework designed to synchronize land policy, spatial governance, and natural resource conservation at the county scale

Keywords

References

Alizadeh, H. and Amanpour, S. (2024). Towards a Paradigm Shift in The Guiding Culture of Spatial Governance System in Iran. Town and Country Planning, 16(1), 19-35. https://doi.org/10.22059/jtcp.2024.369184.670419 (In Persian)
Bell, M. M. (2004). An invitation to environmental sociology. Pine Forge Press.
Bernstein, H. (2010). Class dynamics of agrarian change. Kumarian Press.
Brenner, N. (2004). New State Spaces: Urban Governance and the Rescaling of Statehood. Oxford University Press.
Delfan Azari, Sh. and Afshar, R. (2011). The role of governmental institutions in changing the pattern of urban land use. Iranian Journal of Urban and Regional Management Studies, 2(7), 78–92. 20.1001.1.20088299.1390.2.4.6.8(In Persian)
Eastman, J. R. (2016). IDRISI Selva Manual. Clark Labs.
Foley, J. A., et al. (2005). Global consequences of land use. Science, 309(5734), 570–574. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1111772
Harvey, D. (1973). Social justice and the city. Edward Arnold. (In Persian)
Harvey, D. (2010). Social Justice and the City. University of Georgia Press.
Healey, P. (2006). Collaborative Planning: Shaping Places in Fragmented Societies. Palgrave.
Isa Nejad N, Najafi Kani A A, Khajeh Shakooei A. The Role of Second House Tourism in the Spatial and Economic Developments of Mountain Villages (Case Study: Villages of Rudbar and Qasran Districts in Shemiranat County). serd 2023; 12 (43) :151-172. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.23222131.1402.12.43.9.7(In Persian)
Jessop, B. (2016). The State: Past, Present, Future. Polity Press.
Lefebvre, H. (1991). The production of space. (D. Nicholson-Smith, Trans.). Blackwell. (Original work published 1974) (In Persian)
Li, X., & Yeh, A. G. (2002). Neural-network-based cellular automata for simulating multiple land use changes using GIS. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 16(4), 323–343. https://doi.org/10.1080/13658810210137004
Marsden, T. (2003). The condition of rural sustainability. Royal Van Gorcum.
Moshfeghi, V. , Hghighat Naeini, G. and Habibi, M. (2020). Analyzing the Relationship Between Land Use Changes and Land Prices in Tehran with Emphasis on ‘Commission of Article Five’ Approvals. Geography and Environmental Planning, 30(4), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.22108/gep.2020.118683.1188 (In Persian)
Moshfeghi, V. , Hghighat Naeini, G. and Habibi, M. (2020). Analyzing the Relationship Between Land Use Changes and Land Prices in Tehran with Emphasis on ‘Commission of Article Five’ Approvals. Geography and Environmental Planning, 30(4), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.22108/gep.2020.118683.1188 (In Persian)
Pierre, J., & Peters, B. G. (2005). Governing Complex Societies: Trajectories and Scenarios. Palgrave.
Pike, A., Rodríguez-Pose, A., & Tomaney, J. (2017). Local and Regional Development (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Vatani, A., Parsa, M., & Karimi, A. (2020). Investigating the legal policies of changing agricultural land use with an emphasis on preserving city boundaries and agricultural development (Case study: Shemiranat county). Journal of Regional Planning, 10(38), 161–178.  (In Persian)
 
 
The Journal of Community Development (Rural-Urban)
Volume 17, Issue 2 - Serial Number 33
Autumn and winter 2025
January 2025
Pages 447-479

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics