Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Ph.D., Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
2 Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Kharazmi University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3 Ph.D. Candidate Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the socio-cultural functions of urban parks in Mashhad and to identify the mechanisms through which their positive functions are transformed into dysfunctional social outcomes.
Materials and Methods: A mixed methodological approach was adopted, combining qualitative inquiry with Social Impact Assessment (ETA). In the qualitative phase, fifty in-depth interviews were conducted with local stakeholders, community informants, and key actors across Mashhad’s 13 municipal districts. Field observations were also used to contextualize social dynamics within parks. In the second phase, ETA was applied to classify both positive and negative social impacts of park design, management, and use.
Results: The findings indicate that urban parks and green spaces are exposed to negative social impacts. These impacts significantly reduce citizens’ sense of belonging, social participation, and effective use of green spaces, creating dysfunctions in socialization. The central phenomenon is “decline in public acceptance,” reproduced through cycles of “fragile social security,” “structural abandonment,” “weak social solidarity,” and “lack of inclusion.” In contrast, three strategies—“empowering collective happiness,” “enhancing interaction,” and “eliminating discrimination”—activate a sense of belonging and citizen participation, leading to positive outcomes such as “reducing marginalization,” “strengthening collective belief,” and “improving quality of life.”
Conclusion: The research concludes that if strong and intertwined relationships between local and urban communities can be utilized in effective urban management—whose essence is local participation—it will enable more organized and desirable urban governance. The output is an explanatory conceptual model and an implementation plan for urban management (municipality and partner institutions), which suggests prioritizing interventions in accordance with local identity and spatial justice.
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