majid dehghanian; zahra Ahmadipour; Reza Shahgholiyan Qahfarkhi
Abstract
Cities are complex spatial-geographical phenomena that need to be studied and providing security as one of the most basic human needs of urban societies is considered. Security and threat studies have been developed and changed simultaneously with the transformation of societies and the concepts of security, ...
Read More
Cities are complex spatial-geographical phenomena that need to be studied and providing security as one of the most basic human needs of urban societies is considered. Security and threat studies have been developed and changed simultaneously with the transformation of societies and the concepts of security, power and threat. It seems necessary to identify the threats of the urban area, especially with the expansion of the use of new tools and technologies because new threats are also associated with them. The purpose of this research is to analyze the role of technology- based threats to the security of Tehran city. The approach of this research is mixed, and the data collection method is library and documentary. The results of the analysis of questionnaires by SPSS software led to the prioritization of technology-based components in urban security. The findings of this research show that emerging threats are based on technology, and some of them include Internet of Things, artificial intelligence (weapons), e-commerce threats (electronic skimming, ransom ware, and malicious bots), bioterrorism, and cyber threats. (Crypto-currencies) and micro air vehicle, the share of artificial intelligence (weapons based on artificial intelligence) has the largest share. Also, the mentioned components will have the greatest impact on economic security.
zahra Ahmadipour; Navid Sarbaz koltappeh
Abstract
Urban space is the strategic scene for understanding the dynamics of social order reconfiguration. It is like a hegemonic tool of the dominant class to reproduce its domination. In this scene, we always see the struggles of two resistance discourses to dominate the geographical space. The formation of ...
Read More
Urban space is the strategic scene for understanding the dynamics of social order reconfiguration. It is like a hegemonic tool of the dominant class to reproduce its domination. In this scene, we always see the struggles of two resistance discourses to dominate the geographical space. The formation of the resistance discourse in the urban space goes through a process and the main purpose of this article is to explain this process. This article employs a descriptive-analytical research approach and relies on library resources for gathering information. The findings indicate that the initial ignition of the resistance discourse originates from policy critique and problem identification. It persists until a political crisis has been occurred. Local dissatisfactions prompt individuals to step out of their personal spheres and engage in discussions with others regarding shared concerns, the formation of collective notions and narratives concerning their living environment. The forced displacement and systematic deprivation of living spaces expedite the strengthening of urban residents' ability to safeguard the production of space. Engaging in recurrent social movements generates an emotional experience that intensifies individuals' connections to social and collective movements. The mobilization happening within the local community plays a crucial role and engages various individuals and encouraging their participation in public activities. It involves developing effective means of communication and emotional resources that empower new activists to dedicate their time and efforts.
Mohsen Azizzadehtasouj; zahra Ahmady; Mohammad Reza Hafeznia; Seyyed Mohammad Kazem Sajad Pour
Abstract
Geopolitics, throughout its history, has been associated with concepts such as war, competition and power; according to the traditional geopolitics, governments in the past were seeking territory; land management and gaining power. So the traditional geopolitics expressed the views of the powerful states ...
Read More
Geopolitics, throughout its history, has been associated with concepts such as war, competition and power; according to the traditional geopolitics, governments in the past were seeking territory; land management and gaining power. So the traditional geopolitics expressed the views of the powerful states about the world. However, the developments in different fields gave rise to new topics in the field of geopolitical study. The dominant thought on the structures and international system in contemporary times with the emergence and manifestation of new material and spiritual priorities such as: humanity's need to live in an atmosphere of peace, the importance of taking steps towards development and human dignity has prevailed over the prevention of armed conflicts and the reduction of violence caused by war. The scientific study and investigation of the method of establishing objectification methods for such a purpose is one of the basic foundations of the concept of geopolitics today. This article tries to explain the geopolitical process of peace. This research is descriptive-analytical in terms of nature and method. The findings of the research show the formation of new regional identities, the regional security, social development, the structures and functions of international institutions, the dominance of the global peace and justice discourse, the global fight against terrorism, humanitarian interventions, the observance of human rights and international law, the expansion of international dialogues, de-escalation and confidence-building between countries, regions and the world are increasing in such a way that in a humanistic approach, the reduction of human suffering is considered as one of the most important benefits of geopolitics of peace in the geographical space.
Esmeil Alamdar; mohammad reza hafeznia; zahra ahmadypour; Syrus Ahmadi Nohadani
Abstract
Geopolitical knowledge, as a branch of political geography, deals with the interrelationship between geography and politics in the light of the power component. One of the basic concepts of this knowledge is the concept of geopolitical interests, which have a special place in geopolitics and international ...
Read More
Geopolitical knowledge, as a branch of political geography, deals with the interrelationship between geography and politics in the light of the power component. One of the basic concepts of this knowledge is the concept of geopolitical interests, which have a special place in geopolitics and international relations. has it. By identifying the influential components of this concept and the extent of their effectiveness, foreign relations between countries can be analyzed more accurately. This research is descriptive in nature and method and applied in terms of purpose. Data collection has been done through library and field studies. The validity of the questionnaire with CVR and its reliability based on Cronbach's alpha and data analysis were used by T-Test and Friedman test was used to prioritize the components. In order to examine the geopolitical interests of countries in detail in Foreign relations, these interests are divided into 8 components: political, geographical, geoeconomic, geoculture, geostrategic, ecological, cyberspace and scientific-technological. Findings showed that the study of variables of components of geopolitical interests in foreign relations with countries confirms that from the perspective of respondents in terms of frequency distribution tables of all variables with an average score of more than 3 are desirable. Also in testing the hypothesis of component variables The eight's were approved. The results show that the geographical components are in the first rank and the scientific and geoeconomic components are in the next ranks. On the other hand, the geocultural and ecological components are in the last ranks. This indicates that the value and geographical and territorial factors are at the forefront of the demands and tendencies of countries in foreign relations.
zahra ahmadypour; mohammad reza hafeznia; Javad Etaat; Ghasem Karami
Zahra Ahmadipour; Mehdi Heidarian
Abstract
Extended abstract
Introduction
The political organization of space as an organizing process of a part of the Earth limited by boundary for playing political roles has main purposes; one of them is facilitating people polling and citizens’ political turn-out which is realized through locating ...
Read More
Extended abstract
Introduction
The political organization of space as an organizing process of a part of the Earth limited by boundary for playing political roles has main purposes; one of them is facilitating people polling and citizens’ political turn-out which is realized through locating polling stations in city space. Therefore, voting boxes should be located regarding fair scientific principles and methods. It should be in line with improving citizens’ satisfaction and consequently their maximum turn-out. Otherwise, failure in this important affair leads to decrease citizens’ turn-out in elections. Undoubtedly, election executive boards have an important role in the above mentioned process. The main question of this article is what pattern of distribution of polling stations is followed in Eyvan city (one of the cities in the northern constituency of Ilam Province) and if people are satisfied with the location of polling stations in the previous elections.
Review of literature
Political organization of city space as a location of national and local election is done through locating voting branches. Planning for locating these branches is responsibility of election executive boards and optimal dispersion of these branches can affect the citizens’ participation in elections. Population density is the most important factor in this matter. Other considered factors are as follows in order of importance: Eligible places for polling stations, Polling stations distance from main ways, Accessibility of polling stations to security and services centers. Of written articles the followings can be mentioned.
Special place Analysis of voting box in 15th area of Tehran with help of GIS (Nazarian et. al, 2011), Distance traveled to polling locations: Are travel costs imposed equally on party members (Joslyn et al, 2018).
Method
In terms of purpose, this study is functional and in terms of identity and general method it is analytical- descriptive. Data gathering was done through field (questioner) and library method. For data description, descriptive statistics and for data analysis GIS software, hierarchical analysis (AHP), expert Choice software and SPSS (one- way T-test) have been used. Statistical population is people over 18 years old (eligible people for voting). Sample size is 380 people computed by using Cochran formula and multi stage cluster.
In this study researcher- made questioner has been used that its validity is formal and its reliability which is 0.84 has been calculated based on Cranach’s alpha.
Findings and discussion
1. Weighing the criteria: (effective factors on polling stations).
In order to weigh through AHP method, the first criteria (effective factors on polling stations distribution) were compared two by two. Then Expert Choice software was used to compute the weight of each criterion. This software has been designed for analyzing multivariable Problems by using hierarchical analytical process (AHP). The weight of criteria calculated by Expert Choice software has been shown in the following table.
Table 1. Weight of criteria
criterion
weight
Incompatibility coefficient
Population density
0.44
0.12 :incompatibility less than 1% which shows compatibility between binary matrix coefficients
Accessibility of polling stations to security and services centers
0.037
Polling stations distance from main ways
0.107
Infrastructure (eligible places for polling stations)
0.415
2. Preparation and layer integration
In decision making process, the optimal area is a span which has the best condition for studying identification factors and criteria. In this stage, the conditions should be provided so that the summing of all effective indices is possible. Fuzzy logic is elective method in order to value subject layers. In this method, the studied area is valued by zero and one interval in each layer. In order to integrate resulted layers using obtained weights, simple mass weighting method was used. The results of integration are shown in the following features.
Potential area for polling stations: population density area T 0.44+ infrastructure area T 0.415+ stations distance from main ways T 0.107+ station distance area from security- service centers T 0.37.
Map 2. matching the proposed points with potential area
Map 1. Potential area for polling stations
3. Studying eligible places of polling stations and determining suggested stations
In this stage all eligible places for polling stations in the city were studied and eligible places were determined. 22 out of 26 cases have adapted with optimal area (Map3). In GIS software population and the radius of each polling station was determined by using menus of Geoprocessing (Buffer, clip) and Selection (selection by location), such that stations have minimum overlap and citizens had maximum accessibility to polling boxes in the way that it leads to prevent over-crowding. Based on such pattern, the maximum citizens’ satisfaction with polling boxes location have been provided and formation of more voting holes (long distance to polling stations) has been prevented (Map3), while in the previous elections, polling stations location have been determined approximately and polling stations with high overlap and their distribution didn’t follow special pattern (Map 4).
Map 3. Suggested pattern for polling stations’ distribution of parliament election in 2020
Map 4. Map of polling stations’ distribution in president elections in 2018
4. Findings and field analyses
Suggested interval of polling stations for 97% of respondents was less than 250 meters which it has been observed in suggested pattern for20 polling boxes (out of 25 boxes) while in previous elections, the 250 meter distance was observed from 65% people’s point of view. 60% of respondents have preferred establishment of polling stations in educational and official places over masques.
Also, scores of items were combined separately and were test by T-Test statistic for assessing satisfaction from polling stations (table).Using this test, both the significance of the indices and difference from the mean are determined. In this way, comparing average level of variable impact of satisfaction of polling stations stations which is 2.6 with average validated level of impact which is 3 and also regarding computed level of significance which is determiner of a numbers over 5%, shows that there was no satisfaction with polling stations location in the previous elections.
Table 2. The result of T-Test
variable
number
mean
degree of freedom
T-statistics
Standard
deviation
Significance
level
Mean difference
satisfaction
380
2.6
0.79
1.3
379
0.06
-0.40
Conclusion
Findings show that there was no satisfaction with distribution of polling stations in the previous elections and location of boxes hasn’t followed any special pattern, in the way that a few stations have been established in some densely populated areas and vice versa. Accordingly, potential area is determined by using related models for establishing polling stations and suggested pattern has been designed in GIS based on population density parameters (above 18 years) accessibility and infrastructure (existence of eligible places for polling). In this pattern, polling stations had minimum overlap, radius coverage and certain population and prevention of formation of voting holes (citizens’ accessibility to voting stations) is facilitated. Establishing stations for department of natural resources, 17 Sharivar school, Imam Hasan Mosque, Samen Mosque, and Payamenor and deleting Hoseinieh Rashidi, kaosar, Sepideh and Hafez Gaireentefaee and relocation of seven stations (Chamran, Imam Jafare sadeg, Dr Hesabi , valie asar Mosque, Hazrate Masome(Ateferashidi), Jame Mosque, and shahid Mottahari) has been suggested in the new pattern.
Ebraham Roumina; Ghasem Teymori; Zahra Ahmadipour
Abstract
City as a geographic ecosystem is composed of different artificial (framework) and natural (humans) elements and parts. Dynamics and vitality of such ecosystem emanates from relationships between its interconnected elements and components. On the other hand, the urban space is the host of humans, and ...
Read More
City as a geographic ecosystem is composed of different artificial (framework) and natural (humans) elements and parts. Dynamics and vitality of such ecosystem emanates from relationships between its interconnected elements and components. On the other hand, the urban space is the host of humans, and also is the arena of political, economic, cultural, social decision-making, and in such an active cycle it is constantly produced and represented. It is interesting that the impact of gender effectiveness of urban settlers is different in this geographic ecosystem. Such different and unequal gender role playing is considered as a problem in this research by the case study in one of the Tehran districts. The research methodology is descriptive-analytic and analyzed the gender position in construction of urban space as well as factors affecting on it by using the library information, observation, interview as well as questionnaire. The research findings show that (feel of) security, access to municipal facilities and civic participation of women is significantly less than men. This situation has reduced citizenship satisfaction and communication of citizens. Graffiti, advertising, sculptures, signs and symbols in the 6th district of Tehran as indicators to measure the landscape, represents gender space and lack of gender justice in it. The effectiveness of all the above factors is visible in urban landscape and in urban public spaces, particularly. According to the research finding, Ideology and culture are two important factors in gender space. The former is more representation in public and semipublic spaces than second. So people as space users are faced by limitation. In other world, culture as collective behavior is less visible in such a district areas. Restrictions that have been imposed on such an urban district by institutions of urban administration are including social segregation based on gender and spatial segregation. Finally, city were unoccupied of the people’ social communication (especially women who need to be define their social identity) and have a negative effect on their social interaction.
abdolvahab khojamli; Zahra Ahmadypour; Mohammadreza Hafeznia; Mohammadreza Pourjafar
Abstract
Extended abstract
1. Introduction
The current paper is intended to explain geopolitics of urban landscape, and also to present a theoretical model. The relation between politics and power and urban semiotics system in geographic spaces and in particular in urban spaces forms geopolitics of urban landscape. ...
Read More
Extended abstract
1. Introduction
The current paper is intended to explain geopolitics of urban landscape, and also to present a theoretical model. The relation between politics and power and urban semiotics system in geographic spaces and in particular in urban spaces forms geopolitics of urban landscape. The paper presents new approaches to the scholars of urban geopolitics and urban political geography.
2. Theoretical Framework
The paper is intended to present a theoretical framework to study geopolitics of landscape regarding the relation between politics and power and urban semiotic system and dominant political, social and economic discourses. When a landscape would be called a geopolitical urban landscape? What kind of processes and factors has geopolitics of urban landscape? What are the levels of formation of urban semiotic system and how they are affected by different factors? What are the general and political functions of urban semiotic system, and what kind of criteria forms them? What are the benefits and deficiencies of the symbols? And finally what is the impact of these relations on urban semiotic system and urban space discourses?
3. Methodology
The research is basic in terms of its goal, and casual and descriptive- analytic in terms of method and nature. The data gathering procedure is based on the library findings. Data analysis and conclusion will be done using the qualitative research method.
4. Results & Discussion
Landscape, similarly to language, can operate as a representational system – signs, places and icons can be read and interpreted as geosymbols or icons. Power over landscape is usually visualized in the most picturesque, stable, perceptible and spectacular ways. Ruling over landscape, both forms, function, and particularly meanings, becomes one of the priorities of power, especially of those, whose legitimacy is or can be somehow challenged. The need to show his or her rights, authority, control, as well as supermacy and prerogatives is tremendous and typically materialized in grand culttural landscape projects. Those project usually expound not only political and economic powers, but also, and often above any other, the cultueral dominance of new leaders and discourses. The messages coded in cultural landscape are typically very clearly readable for most of society, and are frequently enhanced by heavily marketed texts.
The function of power and politics in urban semiotic system paves the way to expalin geopolitics of landscape. Policies of different groups in urban spaces are affected by their power. Their power in urban spaces is emanated from different urban semiotics systems that gained from local, national and supra-national levels and has political, social, economic and historical facets. Different groups haves different potentials to take the advanteges of the levels and facets regarding their ideologic background and the level of mitigation of their interests with the dominant ideology. Also, their freedom in using the symbols and change in urban semiotics systems depends on players of power and their respected institutions.
Urban icons and symbols are a part of urban players tools to create discources in accordance with their interests. Urban players act in the frame of their discources and the stronger discources, the effective functions. Hisorical and ideologic background, institutions, social and cutural characteristics, groups’ interests and their discourses set the criteria to change in urban semiotic system and urban symbols; the changes that are realized in the froms of destructions or construction of symbols, omition or disclusion of symbols and relocation and change in their functions. All of the processes are done in order to improve the function of urban semiotic system and urban symbols or to reform their functions and alleviate abnormalities.
5. Conclusions & Suggestions
Actions and reactions, factors and structures in urban spaces create an area of power relations such as cooperation, interaction, rivalry and disputation that the occupation of desired spaces to settle the respected icons or display the symbols of their discources are claimed in urban spaces that results in “the war of icons” between different players who have contradictory interests. This causes an area of power relations which is the result of mutual relation between urban semiotics systems and the political actors that forms geopolitics of landscape.
So, geopolitics of landscape is a process that based on it the dominant discourse creates different landscapes to control and manage urban spaces in line with its political and geopolitical order, and competition to control urban spaces is subordinated to relation between power, politics and space. Geopolitics of landscape studies the process of image making by urban players, the management of urban relations, urban space bordering, the relation between the state and non-governmental institutions.
