Socio-political and Economic Risks Caused by the Phenomenon of Particulate Matter as an Obstacle to Sustainable Development (The province of Kermanshah)

Subject Areas : Sustainable Development

Saman  yousefvand ¹ (PhD, Sociology, University of Tehran, Researcher of the Parliament Research Center, Iran *(Corresponding Author))
Shapour  Salmanvandi ² (PhD, Socio Rural Development Sociology, University of Tehran, Iran)
ali  qanbari barzian ³ (Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Isfahan University, Iran)

Received: 2017-08-06 Accepted : 2017-11-22 Published : 2020-05-21

Keywords: Environment, Sustainable development, Poverty, dust particles, Risks, Kermanshah Province,

Abstract :

Background and Objective: For more than a decade, the southwestern provinces of Iran have encountered with the phenomenon of sand and dust storms. This phenomenon has become the most common cause of air and environmental pollution in those areas. The present research aims to examine the challenges and risks posed by this phenomenon against sustainable development. Method: This research has investigated the social, political and economic dimensions of the dust problem using a qualitative method (thematic analysis). The techniques used were semi-structured interviews and observations. In this study, 60 local people were interviewed. Findings: The findings show that dust particles not only have caused the loss of biological balance of plant species in the environment, but also they have had devastating effects on the local businesses and have caused socio-psychological and health problems and increased the cost of life for the people and the government. The phenomenon of dust can be considered as the most important factor that has reduced the objective and subjective quality of life of locals. Discussion and Conclusion: This research shows that this phenomenon has created an undesirable collection of issues in the economic, social and health fields that reproduces a polysemantic structure of poverty. In such undesirable environment, dissatisfaction with the current situation has paved the way for the collapse of the balance of the social system of the society. This kind of climate change has had a great impact on the quality of life of the people, which, on the one hand, provides a platform for distrust to the involved institutions and, on the other hand, threatens the sustainability of development in the social, economic and political dimensions.

References:

1. Anbari. M (2011) " Sociology of development from economics to culture " Samat Publications, Humanities Research and Development Center, First Edition, Tehran. (In Persian)


2. Nasiri. H (2011) "Sustainable Development: The Perspective of the Third World" Farhang va Andisheh Publications, Tehran. (In Persian)


3. Giddens, A  & in collaboration with Bardsal (2001) "Sociology" translated by Hassan Chavoshian, fourth edition, Ney Publishing, Tehran. (In Persian)


4. Willis. K (2011), "Theories and Experiences of Development" by Routledge , 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016Second edition 2011, Routledge.


5. Buchani. M & Fazeli. H  (2011) "Environmental Challenges and their Consequences of Dust and Its Consequences in the West of Iran" Policy Letter Quarterly,  Year 2, N 3, Fall 2011, Tehran.  (In Persian)


6. Vafaei. M (2011), "Effects of air quality on human health" Master Thesis, Islamic Azad University, Centeral Tehran Branch. (In Persian)


7. Dehqan. B & et al (2013), "Assessing the social and economic effects of dust on people's lives" Third National Conference on Wind Erosion and Dust Storms, Yazd, Scientific Association for Management and Control of Desert Areas of Iran. (In Persian)


8. Chashmbarzamin. K (2014) Study of the effects of particulate matter on the life satisfaction of rural residents of Abadan city "Master's thesis, in the field of rural development management in the Department of Development Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Winter, 2014, Tehran. (In Persian)


9. Purdihmi. Sh & Bina, M (2014) "Study of the effect of building direction on reducing pollution caused by fine dust in building complexes, a case study of buildings in Dezful" Iranian Journal of Architecture, No6, Fall and Winter 2014, Tehran. (In Persian)


10. Bayat. R, & et al (2016) Study of the effect of fine dust on vegetation changes, case study: Shadegan Wetland, Khuzestan) "Journal of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System and Natural Resources, Year 7, N 2, Summer 2016, Tehran. (In Persian)


11. Shahbazi. T & et al (2016), "Study of the effect of fine dust on physiological properties and yield of different wheat cultivars" Journal of Plant Process and Function, Vol 5, N  15, Spring 2016, Tehran. (In Persian)


12. Mehrabi. S & et al (2015), "Study of the relationship between climatic parameters and the occurrence of dust, case study: Khuzestan Province" Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology and Natural Resources, Soil and Water Sciences, Year 19, N 70 And the first, spring 2015, Tehran.  (In Persian)


13. Ghorbaniyan. J (2015), "Prevention of dust storm and weighting of prevention criteria, case study: Hoor Al-Azim" Quarterly Journal of the Geographical Association of Iran, New Volume,Vol 13, N 47, Winter 2015, Tehran. Pp 286-269. (In Persian)


14. Matroud. F (2011), "Study and ranking of the prevention of the effects of dust phenomenon using the mathematical technique of AHP" First International Congress on the phenomenon of dust and its harmful effects, Ramin Khuzestan University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Khuzestan,  Pp. 749-756. (In Persian)


15. Willis. K (2011), "Theories and Experiences of Development" by Routledge , 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016Second edition 2011, Routledge.


16. Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006), “Usingthematic analysis in psychology", Qualitative Research in Psychology, Vol. 3, No. 2, Pp. 77-101.


17. Boyatzis, R. E. (1998), "Transforming qualitative information: thematic analysis and Code development" Sage publications, international Educational and Professional publisher thousand Oaks London New Delhi.


18. King, N. & Horrocks, C. (2010), "Interviews in qualitative research" London: Sage.


19. Jafari. H & et al. (2011), "Theme Analysis and Theme Network: A Simple and Efficient Method for Explaining Patterns in Qualitative Data" Journal of Strategic Management, , Fall and Winter 2011, Vol 5, N 10, Pp. 151-198. (In Persion)


20. Azkia M. & Firoozabadi. S (2007), "Study of social capital in various land use systems and factors affecting the conversion of peasant exploitation into cooperatives" Journal of Social Sciences, No. 33, Spring 2008, Tehran. Pp 77-98 (In Persian)


21. Carr, A (2004). "Positive Psychology", Hove and New York: Brunner-Routledge.


22. Hezar Jaribi. J & Austin Feshan. P (2009), "Study of Factors Affecting Social Vitality with Emphasis on Tehran Province" Journal of Applied Sociology, Vol 20, N 1, Spring 2009, Tehran, Pp. 119-146. (In Persian)


23. Zeidali.. H & Mohsen. H (2015), "Assessment of Dust impact on Rangeland Livestock Production According to Ranchers Opinino, Case study: AndimeshK" District, Iran. Journal of Rangeland Scince, Vol.5, No .4, Pp 303-312. (In Persian)


24. Willis. K (2011), "Theories and Experiences of Development" by Routledge , 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016,Second edition 2011, Routledge.