Geography and Urban Research

Abstract Passive defense, as a modern approach in urban management, plays a significant role in enhancing governance, resilience, and institutional coordination. This study aims to explain the role of passive defense in strengthening smart governance and integrated urban management in Karaj metropolis and to propose a localized conceptual model for improving institutional, social, and infrastructural resilience. The research is qualitative in nature and follows a meta-synthesis approach, based on systematic analysis of domestic and international studies and conceptual coding. The findings indicate that passive defense in Karaj is not merely a technical or security tool, but a strategic framework for restructuring the city’s managerial and institutional systems. Based on the analysis, four key dimensions were identified: enhancing inter-institutional coordination and unified command, reducing the vulnerability of critical infrastructures, promoting smart and resilient governance, and developing citizen-centered social participation. The innovation of this study lies in presenting a localized conceptual model that integrates passive defense components into the urban governance structure of Karaj. This model explains the interrelationship among institutional, social, infrastructural, and managerial resilience in an integrated manner. The results show that incorporating passive defense principles into the urban governance system not only increases the effectiveness of managerial decisions but also facilitates the transition toward responsive and sustainable governance, offering a transferable framework for other major cities in the country.

Abstract The expansion of informal settlements is one of the most significant consequences of structural inequalities in the cities of developing countries, and its roots can be traced to macroeconomic transformations. The present study was conducted with the aim of explaining the relationship between oil revenues, housing prices, and the expansion of informal settlements in Mashhad metropolis, employing an approach to test the Dutch Disease hypothesis. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of method, carried out with a mixed-methods approach utilizing quantitative and qualitative data over the period 2001 to 2021. The statistical population included the informal settlements of Mashhad, comprising 8 zones and 67 neighborhoods, from which four indicator neighborhoods were selected through purposive sampling. Quantitative data were collected from official national and local sources and analyzed using normality tests, correlation, regression, Granger causality, and Johansen cointegration tests. Qualitative data were also gathered through semi-structured interviews and examined using thematic analysis. The results indicated that the real value of the country's oil revenues experienced a significant decline during the study period, while simultaneously, housing prices in Mashhad experienced a very sharp growth. Statistical analyses confirmed the existence of a positive and significant relationship between oil revenues and housing prices, as well as between housing prices and population growth in informal settlements. Furthermore, causality and cointegration tests suggested the existence of a long-term relationship between oil revenues and the housing market. Qualitative findings also revealed that high housing costs are the most significant factor driving low-income households towards informal settlements, and a considerable portion of their income is spent on housing expenses. Accordingly, this study confirms the causal chain of "oil revenues leading to an increase in housing prices and consequently, an expansion of informal settlements." The results indicate that liquidity management during oil boom periods, implementation of counter-cyclical policies in the housing market, targeted financial support for low-income groups, and empowerment programs for informal settlements can play an effective role in mitigating this phenomenon.

Abstract Iran is facing rapid growth of metropolitan cities, and in the meantime, Tehran province and especially Shahriar city have also grown horizontally in recent years and have expanded towards their surroundings. Therefore, the study of land use is of great importance, especially in Shahriar city. The research method is descriptive, analytical and quantitative survey using questionnaire tools. The sample size was determined using the Cochran formula and included 355 individuals. The random sampling method was systematic. Other factors such as age, distance or proximity to the city, land area, uneconomical agriculture, etc. have caused land use changes. In this research, information was collected using library and field methods, and also supplemented using a self-made questionnaire (using the Likert scale) and evaluated and analyzed using SPSS and GIS software. Also, reliability (social and cultural, 0.71-human, 0.77-geological and environmental, 0.74-economic, and 0.71-economic) and the opinions of experts were used to assess the validity of the research. According to the results of this study, Shahriar County, on the one hand, due to its proximity to the metropolis of Tehran, and on the other hand, due to the increase in population and the need for housing, as well as market fluctuations and the role of land brokers, has caused excessive construction and change in agricultural land use. Also, improper exploitation of soil, such as improper plowing and excessive exploitation of soil, has caused the soil to lose its properties and productivity. One of the problems that threatens the future of agriculture in the country is land use change, which, if not addressed with proper management, will cause many problems. The findings of the factor analysis showed that production costs and lack of profitability of agriculture, difficulty of cultivation and income from competing agricultural activities, natural problems, inequality between villages and cities, land slope, the role of indigenous knowledge, distance to the city, population growth and profiteering in the corridor have been effective factors in land use change in the region.

Abstract The present study aims to analyze the legal and executive challenges of the Sustainable Revenue and Expenditure Law of Municipalities, using a critical approach focusing on City of Maragheh. This applied research utilizes a descriptive-analytical methodology and survey approach, gathering data through structured questionnaires among urban management elites. Quantitative analysis of variables using the one-sample t-test and TOPSIS ranking technique revealed that legislative ambiguities, lack of precise executive guarantees, and institutional jurisdictional overlaps pose serious obstacles to the financial independence of this local organization. The results indicate that restrictive regulations and cultural heritage limitations in the historical fabric and garden-city boundaries of Maragheh, alongside structural dependence on unsustainable revenues such as Article 100 Commission fines, are considered the most significant and meaningful executive challenges. Finally, the necessity of amending legal provisions, delegating local authorities, adjusting regulations governing historical contexts, and developing novel financing tools to achieve economic independence and sustainable urban development was emphasized.

Abstract One of the fundamental functions of governance is to provide security and social peace for its citizens. In this context, crime and, particularly, the fear it generates in contemporary cities are considered among the primary obstacles to achieving sustainable security and a desirable quality of life. The paradigm of penal governance regards crime prevention as a key strategy for confronting this phenomenon. Among preventive approaches, Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) has gained significant prominence in recent decades by emphasizing the physical and spatial design of urban environments to reduce opportunities for crime. However, the emergence of the novel "smart city" paradigm and transformations in urban governance methods have revealed the necessity to revise and evolve traditional CPTED principles. This article, employing a descriptive-analytical method and based on library resources, seeks to elucidate the theoretical framework of "Smart CPTED" within the context of smart urban governance. This framework expands the traditional concept by leveraging functions such as natural surveillance, access control, territoriality, and maintenance, elevating it from a merely reactive state to a predictive and proactive level. The research findings indicate that smart urban governance, through the integration of advanced analytical technologies like artificial intelligence and data networks within the city's cyber-physical infrastructure, opens a new chapter in crime prevention. This novel approach is not solely focused on the hardware and physical dimensions of the city but emphasizes social dynamics, enhancing the quality of life, and strengthening citizen participation in digital environments as fundamental pillars for ensuring sustainable security.

Abstract This study was conducted with the aim of scientometric analysis and investigation of research trends in Good Urban Governance from 2000 to 2025. Bibliographic data were extracted from the Web of Science database. The search strategy was designed based on specialized keywords in titles, abstracts, and keywords. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1,357 articles were selected for final analysis. The data were purified, validated, and analyzed using scientometric methods, scientific collaboration network analysis, and VOSviewer software. This approach enabled the identification of core topics, thematic clustering, and research collaboration patterns. Data analysis revealed that studies on Good Urban Governance have primarily focused on urban governance, sustainability, resilience, social justice, and smart technologies. Thematic clustering identified six main research areas: governance and urban management, sustainability and urban development, citizen participation, social justice, technology and smartization, and emerging domains. Co-authorship network analysis showed that scientific collaboration in this field is centralized and heterogeneous; a few key researchers act as bridges and accelerators of knowledge diffusion. These findings indicate the growth of scientific collaborations at international and domestic levels, but also highlight the risk of over-reliance on a few central nodes. By presenting a comprehensive overview of research trends and scientific collaboration networks, this study identified key research gaps. Major gaps include the need for integrated models of justice and sustainability, strengthening operational mechanisms of citizen participation, and localizing strategies imported from Western contexts for developing countries. Based on the findings, future research should focus on developing hybrid justice-resilience frameworks. Urban policymakers can utilize the collaboration network patterns identified to reduce knowledge asymmetry between developed and developing countries.