Issues of the border regions of the country
Mehdi Safari Namivandi; Seyed Ali Ebadinejad; Mehdi Kazemi; Yahya Ghobadi; Sadegh Yasami
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Protecting the borders and establishing security and defense in the border and internal areas of every country has been the concern of the rulers of their time. To some extent, all countries throughout history have faced insecurity, chaos, crisis and war at the borders ...
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Extended Abstract
Introduction
Protecting the borders and establishing security and defense in the border and internal areas of every country has been the concern of the rulers of their time. To some extent, all countries throughout history have faced insecurity, chaos, crisis and war at the borders to stabilize their country. In the past years, many ethnic, racial and religious groups have lived side by side in unstable political and social frameworks and have lived on the borders. Throughout history, the country's border strips have seen the most significant conflicts and confrontations between governments and nations; therefore, the issue of borders has always been one of the basic and important issues of governments, so borders have a special place in every country. One of the most difficult tasks of any government is the control and security of political borders, and if this issue is not paid attention to and there are no appropriate plans and solutions, the country's political sovereignty will be threatened. In order to turn threats into opportunities and benefit from conditions and situations in order to maintain security and secure national interests, we must have a deep and comprehensive understanding of the level of border areas and its surrounding spaces. In the meantime, one of the most important measures is planning according to the geomorphological capabilities of the border areas. One of the measures that increase security in the border strip is to identify areas prone to establishing military bases and surveillance centers. Considering that the border strip of Kurdistan province, including Marivan city, has a sensitive location, therefore, in this research, the areas prone to the construction of military bases and observation centers in this city have been identified.
Materials and methods
In this research, according to the subject and objectives, library information, SRTM 30 meters high digital model and digital layers of information have been used as research data. The most important research tools are ArcGIS (for the purpose of preparing necessary maps) and Expert Choice (for the implementation of the AHP model). In this research, in order to identify the vulnerable areas of Marivan city against the enemy's influence, as well as areas susceptible to the construction of military bases and observation centers, the integrated model of fuzzy logic and AHP has been used. This research has been done in several stages. In the first step, the parameters used are identified. In the second step, the used parameters are fuzzification. In the third step, using the Analytical Hierarchy Model (AHP) and based on the opinions of experts, weight has been given to the information layers and then the obtained weight has been applied to the information layers. In the fourth stage, the layers of information are combined and finally, a map of areas prone to enemy infiltration and areas prone to establishing military bases and observation centers is prepared.
Discussion and results
In this research, in order to identify vulnerable areas against enemy infiltration, 6 parameters of height, slope, field of view, distance from the river, distance from urban areas and distance from military bases have been used. Also, considering that the study area corresponds to the border strip, therefore monitoring and controlling these areas is very important. One of the ways to control and monitor the border areas is to create military bases and observation centers, which has been addressed in this research using 6 parameters. Investigations have shown that Marivan city has a lot of diversity in terms of geomorphology, and this problem has caused its different parts to have different potentials for creating military objectives. Considering the importance of creating security in the border strip, it is necessary to pay attention to the geomorphological capabilities of this city in order to create security in the region. In this research, based on the geomorphological capabilities of Marivan city, vulnerable areas were identified against the enemy's influence, as well as areas susceptible to the construction of military bases and observation centers.
Conclusion
According to the results, due to the geomorphological situation of Marivan city, parts of this city lack sufficient visibility and are far from the monitoring and control of military bases, and this problem has caused these areas, which mainly include the southwestern and southern regions. Is a city, have a high vulnerability potential. Also, the results of this research have shown that parts of Marivan city, which mostly correspond to the central areas of the city, have a high potential for building military bases and observation centers. Due to high altitude, low slope, western directions, wide field of view, proximity to main roads and being far from military bases, these areas have high potential for the desired goals. The total results of this research have shown that in locating military bases in Marivan city, geomorphological factors have not been given much attention and it is necessary to establish security in this region, military bases and observation centers. He built a new building in accordance with the geomorphological strength of the region.
Issues of the border regions of the country
Saeed Maleki; Aghil Gankhaki
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Coastal regions, as the intersection of two distinct ecosystems, serve as one of the most active areas worldwide for the interaction and mutual communication of marine and terrestrial organisms, while providing diverse ecosystem services to humans.The macroeconomic-political ...
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Extended Abstract
Introduction
Coastal regions, as the intersection of two distinct ecosystems, serve as one of the most active areas worldwide for the interaction and mutual communication of marine and terrestrial organisms, while providing diverse ecosystem services to humans.The macroeconomic-political approaches of nations towards coastal areas, followed by population and economic influx, have resulted in coastal cities being acknowledged as centers of population receptivity and arenas of competition among diverse groups for access to aquatic-terrestrial ecosystem services. Conflicting interests among these groups and an ineffective top-down management pattern in industrial coastal cities such as Mahshahr and Asalouyeh have exacerbated the adverse impacts of various socio-economic processes on the sustainability of coastal ecosystems, intensifying the clash between economic growth and environmental preservation.
This study endeavors to quantitatively examine the associations between the governance patterns of industrial coastal cities and environmental justice within these regions. The primary objective is to develop a model that elucidates this relationship and, based on the formulated hypotheses, establish a framework for enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of participatory decision-making processes. The ultimate aim is to foster the preservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems, ensure the sustainability of ecosystem services, and mitigate environmental justice disparities during the course of economic and social development in industrial coastal cities and coastal towns.
Materials & Methods
The present study adopts a quantitative approach grounded in the established paradigm of positivism. The target population consists of residents of industrial coastal cities. The accessible population includes the resident population of Asalouyeh (Bushehr province) and Mahshahr (Khuzestan province). Data collection was conducted through questionnaires, and data analysis and modeling of the relationships between variables were performed using SPSS 26 and SMART-PLS 4 software.
The study area encompasses the coastal cities of Asalouyeh and Mahshahr. Asalouyeh is located in the southernmost part of Bushehr province and serves as the center of Asalouyeh county. It has a long history of industrial, commercial, and fishing activities. The port of Mahshahr, on the other hand, is currently industrialized and serves as the center of Mahshahr County. It is situated on the transit routes of land, sea, and rail transportation, making it a significant and strategic port, along with the Imam Khomeini port complex.
Results & Discussion
The present study employed a three-section approach to assess model fit, including measurement model fit, structural model fit, and overall model fit. The measurement model fit was evaluated using factor loadings, average variance extracted, composite reliability, and two convergent and discriminant validity measures. Convergent validity was computed based on the extracted factor loadings and average variance values, while the Fornell-Larcker criterion was utilized to calculate discriminant validity.
The results indicated that the factor loadings of each item exceeded 0.5, indicating satisfactory reliability of the model. Furthermore, the composite reliability, average variance extracted, and Fornell-Larcker table values surpassed the acceptable thresholds, indicating a good fit of the measurement model.
The present study utilized the cross-loading validity index to assess the quality of the measurement model. The Q² values indicated that the selected tool for measuring the latent variable had an acceptable level of quality, thereby validating the measurement model of the study. The results obtained from partial least squares analysis, as presented in Figures (3) and (4) and Table (5), indicated that all path coefficients and t-values were significant, with values greater than 1.96 and p-values less than 0.05, respectively, supporting the main hypotheses based on the collected data from the study population.
Furthermore, the mediator variable of social capital was found to have a moderate effect, ranging from 20% to 80%, in the relationship between desirable governance and environmental justice, indicating partial mediation.
Conclusion
The findings of this study demonstrate a robust and statistically significant relationship between desirable governance and environmental justice. Moreover, the study introduces social capital as a significant mediator in the relationship between desirable governance and environmental justice. The significance of the association between desirable governance and social capital has been validated in previous research.
Based on these results and the substantial link between desirable governance and environmental justice, along with the mediating role of social capital, it is recommended to transition the management approach of industrial coastal cities towards desirable governance. This transition can be accomplished by implementing principles and indicators of desirable governance, such as enhancing participation, transparency, effectiveness, efficiency in decision-making and planning, and responsiveness to diverse stakeholders. These measures will establish a solid foundation for advancing environmental justice in various aspects.
Furthermore, particular attention should be given to augmenting the level of social capital through well-defined and practical planning. This strategic focus will establish the necessary groundwork for leveraging social capital to enhance the effectiveness of desirable governance in industrial coastal cities, ultimately fostering environmental justice.
Issues of the border regions of the country
Fariba Karami; Hossein Karimzadeh; Mohamad Javad Ahmadi
Abstract
Extended AbstractIntroductionRecently, Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization of Iran has focused on construction of disaster management and support bases. To reach such an aim, it is necessary to investigate different areas and select an appropriate geographical location for this type of land ...
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Extended AbstractIntroductionRecently, Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization of Iran has focused on construction of disaster management and support bases. To reach such an aim, it is necessary to investigate different areas and select an appropriate geographical location for this type of land use. The selected location must be safe in critical conditions and make the base as efficient as possible. Accurate site selection is a necessary step towards prevention, preparedness and dealing with various disasters. Selecting an appropriate location for these bases is extremely important in their relief operations. Thus, the bases must be properly accessible while having a strong structure unthreatened by any risk. Disaster management measures are based on information analysis and take advantage of geographical information tools for spatial analysis. Geographic Information System (GIS) can be used in all stages of disaster management. Geographic information system is a very useful tool for implementation of logical models, decision making about land use allocation, selection of the most suitable site, evaluation of suitable options and finally reaching an integrated choice. Geographical location of Baneh in vicinity of Iran-Iraq border, and related natural hazards (geological, climatic, and etc.) and unnatural threats (political-security) have made passive defense and especially site selection for disaster management and support bases a crucial issue in this border area. Therefore, the present study seeks to select the best possible site for disaster management and support bases in Baneh. Materials and MethodsData have been collected through library research and questionnaires distributed among experts. Research criteria have also been classified into natural and unnatural (man-made) categories which include altitude, slope, slope direction, vegetation, lithology, distance from fault line, distance from river, climatic factor (precipitation), link roads, distance from city, distance from village, gas stations, health centers, relief agencies, military and police stations, open spaces and distance from the international Iran-Iraq border. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to analyze the questionnaires and Expert Choice and Arc GIS software were used for data processing. The importance coefficient of the criteria were analyzed in Arc GIS software using AHP FUZZY model and the final results were presented in the form of a map.ResultsResults indicate that unnatural (man-made) criteria received a higher weight as compared to natural criteria. Among these criteria, vicinity to health centers received the highest weight (0.151), while vegetation and slope direction received the lowest weight (0.016). Baneh generally lacks a proper situation for the construction of disaster management and support bases except for the cities in the middle of the county. ConclusionDue to the occurrence of various natural disasters and unnatural (human) threats in the border areas of the country including the county of Baneh which have affected the security of the region by their serious damages and high death tolls, it is necessary to focus on passive defense in site selection for disaster management and support bases in these areas. Results indicated that quick and easy access from bases to health centers and relief agencies, link roads, police stations and proximity to cities have the highest priority in site selection for disaster management and support bases. Other desirable passive defense criteria include distance from Iran-Iraq border and distance from fault lines. The final map shows unacceptable situation of the county in terms of disaster management bases. Except for cities located in the middle of this county such as Baneh, Buin, Armardeh and Kanisour, other cities lack a proper situation for construction of these bases. Such a situation results in higher vulnerability of these areas in probable disasters. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt short-term and practical programs along with important and effective criteria of passive defense to find the most optimal sites for disaster management and support bases in Baneh County.