Analysis of Relationships Between Place, Space and Security (Case Study: West Azerbaijan Province)

Document Type : مقالات علمی -پژوهشی

Authors

Yashar Zaki ¹

Kumars Yazdanpanah ²

Ahmad Pishevar ³

¹ Department of Political Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran – Iran.

² Associate Professor, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

³ PhD student in Political Geography, Kish International Campus, University of Tehran, Kish, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/pg.2024.87026.1275

Abstract

Space and place are among the concepts and foundations that have an effect on the individual and collective life of humans in various scales. Considering the importance of space and place in security analysis, the present research has analyzed the relationship between place, space and security in West Azerbaijan province with descriptive and correlational methods. One-sample t-test was used for data analysis, and SPSS and Lisrel software were used for factor analysis (structural equation model). There is a positive and strong correlation between all four components of security with place and space in West Azerbaijan. West Azarbaijan province in Iran is of significant strategic importance due to its border with the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, Turkey and Iraq. The province's borders with Turkey and Iraq have implications for cross-border trade, cultural exchanges, and potential security threats. The geographical neighborhood of the province with neighboring countries and with different and even opposite geopolitical areas adds to its geopolitical complexity; Because it becomes a key point in geopolitical relations as well as regional conflicting interests. Therefore, the increase in security values and coefficients (in the four economic, social, political and ecological components) leads to an increase in belonging and place identity among the citizens of this province. Increasing belonging to a place, in addition to providing grounds for more participation of citizens in the direction of sustainable development, also reduces territorial and ethnic faults and strengthens sustainable security in the form of a software and cultural layer.

Keywords

Security

Location

Space

Sustainable Security

West Azerbaijan

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