Approaches in sociology and development

Abstract Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of emerging technologies on social structures, with a qualitative focus on artificial intelligence and shifting work patterns in Iran. Method: Employing a qualitative approach and grounded theory methodology, this research offers an in‑depth investigation into the consequences of AI adoption for Iran’s labor market and its related social structures. Data were collected through semi‑structured interviews with technology experts, human‑resources managers, and members of the workforce, and were analyzed using multi‑stage coding. Findings: The results indicate that artificial intelligence, in addition to enhancing productivity and fostering the emergence of knowledge‑intensive occupations, contributes to the elimination of repetitive jobs, the widening of skill gaps, and fundamental transformations in work relations. Alongside these opportunities, several challenges have also appeared, including intensified social inequalities, heightened feelings of job alienation, and emerging threats to digital justice. Conclusion: Policymakers can facilitate society’s adaptation to technological transformations by expanding technological‑skills training and supporting vulnerable groups.

Abstract Abstract This study aims to provide a critical analysis of the content of Historical Barriers to the Growth of Capitalism in Iran by Ahmad Ashraf, examining in structural terms the historical causes underlying the underdevelopment of industrial capitalism in Iran. The research employs a directed qualitative content analysis approach, drawing on concepts derived from theories of historical institutionalism, dependent development, and the developmental state in order to code the text and extract its key themes. The findings indicate that the barriers to the growth of capitalism in Iran can be classified at two levels: internal barriers (including tribal structure, economic and political insecurity, and inhibiting social structures) and external barriers (such as colonialism, the penetration of the global economy, and inefficient economic investment). These two sets of factors have operated through a cycle of reproducing structural dependency, thereby preventing the emergence of productive classes and effective institutions. A comparative analysis with the experiences of Turkey and India shows that weakness in the will for institutional reform and the absence of a developmental state are among the major factors distinguishing Iran from these countries. In its final analysis, while the present study affirms the historical richness of Ashraf’s work, it also emphasizes its theoretical limitations and its neglect of the possibility of structural reform. By considering the historical continuity of developmental barriers in Iran, this study highlights the necessity of rethinking the country’s current political and economic institutions.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The present study aims to examine the social and cultural factors influencing the tendency toward emotional divorce among couples referring to counseling centers in the city of Qaemshahr.
Method: This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive–correlational with a survey design in terms of methodology. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 65 items. The statistical population included all married men and women who visited family counseling centers in Qaemshahr, totaling 1,134 individuals. Using Cochran’s formula, a sample size of 288 participants was determined.
Findings: The results revealed significant correlations between extramarital relationships and emotional divorce (r=0.61), between modern lifestyle and emotional divorce (r = 0.63), between individual-level factors and emotional divorce (r= 0.59), between the erosion of family social capital and emotional divorce (r=0.69), between the erosion of family cultural capital and emotional divorce (r=0.67), and between socioeconomic status and emotional divorce (r=0.60).
Conclusion: Emotional divorce is one of the key challenges confronting many contemporary families. The deterioration of marital bonds represents one of the most prominent manifestations of current transformations within the family structure. Therefore, identifying and analyzing the factors contributing to emotional divorce is increasingly essential.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to sociologically examine and understand the practice of nail implantation among women living in the city of Quchan.
Method: The research was conducted using a qualitative approach and the grounded theory method. Semi‑structured interviews were employed as the data collection tool. Interview participants were selected through purposive sampling, and theoretical sampling was used to determine the final number of participants. The study population consisted of women in Quchan who had experience with nail implantation. A total of 27 women aged 20 to 60 who had undergone nail implantation participated in the study.
Findings: The findings indicate that the causal conditions of this phenomenon include fear of social rejection and negative self‑perception regarding the appearance of their hands. The central phenomenon of the study is the desire for beauty (and bodily expressiveness), which takes place within the context of social values and family conditions. Social restrictions and feelings of conflict, along with the influential role of advertising and encouragement from others, act as facilitating conditions for this practice. The consequences identified in the study include increased self‑confidence, time savings, and economic savings.
Conclusion: In a changing society where women have limited social presence and face multiple constraints, the body becomes a highly effective medium for self‑expression and self‑presentation.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative examination of the concept of justice in Islamic sociology and Western sociology, with a focus on the ideas of Martyr Morteza Motahhari and Michael Walzer. To derive a justice framework from the perspectives of these two thinkers, three layers of knowledge—philosophical (including epistemology, anthropology, and ontology), paradigmatic, and scientific (including theory and model)—were considered. Data were collected and analyzed using the comparative method.
Findings: The findings indicate that despite certain shared emphases—such as the importance both thinkers place on society and communal goods as well as the principles governing their distribution—Motahhari prioritizes the rights of society over the rights of individuals and disagrees with extensive relativism and maximal pluralism in social goods and distributive principles. He also maintains, unlike Walzer, that some universal and immutable perceptions of justice exist.
On the other hand, Walzer, by identifying eleven distinct spheres of justice (membership, security and welfare, money and commodities, office, hard work, leisure, education, kinship and love, recognition, divine grace, and political power), emphasizes the preservation of each sphere’s independence from domination and monopoly. Motahhari, however, identifies three broader domains of justice—divine justice, individual justice, and social justice—and argues for a comprehensive reciprocal relationship among them, in which divine justice forms the foundation of human justice, and individual justice underlies social justice.
Conclusion: Justice continues to be a central concern in socio‑economic and political thought. Although numerous social movements and political revolutions have sought to achieve justice and equality, there remains no universal agreement on the structure of a fully just society.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate crime in communities and free trade zones and to identify prevention techniques that support development and progress.
Findings: The review of studies and observations in this field revealed that, in addition to common offenses such as rent‑seeking, embezzlement, bribery, and theft, certain types of crimes—such as smuggling, illegal entry and residence of foreign nationals, issuing fraudulent customs declarations (cotage), and similar violations—occur frequently in these zones. Social prevention techniques can be enhanced through measures such as improving and sanitizing the environment, strengthening public awareness, and implementing other community‑based interventions. Situational prevention strategies, including neutralizing crime‑producing factors and reducing criminal motivations, also play a valuable role.
Conclusion: Crime prevention in free trade zones requires a multi-dimensional approach involving security measures, educational programs, and inter-organizational cooperation. When tailored to the specific needs of each zone, implementing such strategies can reduce crime rates and enhance safety and security in these areas.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing the development of rural tourism in the Mahan District of Kerman County.
Method: This research is applied‑developmental in purpose and descriptive‑analytical in method. The statistical population consisted of all residents of six tourism‑receiving villages in the Mahan District (N = 7,656). Using stratified random sampling and Cochran’s formula, a sample of 366 participants was selected. Data were collected using a questionnaire measuring factors affecting rural tourism development. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed at 0.93 and 0.90, respectively. To identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, both the External Factor Evaluation (EFE) and Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) matrices were used, and the SWOT matrix served to determine the factors influencing rural tourism development. Additionally, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to prioritize the criteria and sub‑criteria.
Findings: The results derived from the SWOT matrix indicate a significant relationship among the factors influencing rural tourism development in the Mahan District of Kerman County.
Conclusion: Tourism is one of the most important activities of contemporary human society. While creating profound transformations in the physical landscape, it reshapes political, economic, and cultural conditions as well as human lifestyles.

Abstract Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and prioritize the factors that contribute to social integration aimed at reducing high‑risk behaviors among young men recovering from addiction. Method: This research employed a descriptive‑survey design with a correlational approach. The study sample consisted of 384 young men aged 20–30 who had recovered from addiction and were attending a harm‑reduction treatment and rehabilitation center in Tehran. Participants were selected using multi‑stage cluster random sampling. To analyze the factors related to social integration and to prioritize the identified elements, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) was utilized. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural modeling using SmartPLS3 were also applied to examine relationships and validate the factor structure. Findings: The analysis identified 15 key categories, including: family support, social acceptance, economic empowerment, access to psychological services, physical‑health support, life‑skills training, participation in cultural and social activities, support and involvement of non‑governmental organizations, sustainable housing facilities, vocational and technical training, development of personal identity and self‑worth, governmental support programs, rehabilitation and reintegration facilities, support and self‑help groups, and regular monitoring and follow‑up. Conclusion: Social integration is one of the most significant strategies for providing emotional and instrumental support to young men recovering from addiction, ultimately helping to control their circumstances and reduce social harms and high‑risk behaviors.

Abstract Objective: The objective of the present study was to analyze and formulate sustainable rural tourism development planning patterns in Khabar village. Method: This study is applied-developmental in terms of its objective and descriptive-analytical in terms of its method. The statistical population of the study included all villagers of the Khabar tourism village in Baft county, numbering (756), of which 255 were selected as the sample size based on the stratified random sampling method and according to the Cochran formula. In order to collect data, a sustainable rural tourism development planning questionnaire was used. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were measured as 0.93 and 0.90, respectively. To identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, both external factor evaluation (EFE) and internal factor evaluation (IFE) matrices were used, and to identify sustainable rural tourism development planning patterns, a strategic planning model, the SWOT matrix, was used. Findings: The results indicate that considering the fact that the vulnerability level of villages is very high due to tourism development, planning and management in tourism is essential, considering the limited opportunities and high weaknesses. Conclusion: The tourism industry is one of the important sources of production, income, employment, and infrastructure creation for achieving sustainable development.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative examination of the concept of justice in Islamic sociology and Western sociology, with a focus on the ideas of Martyr Morteza Motahhari and Michael Walzer. To derive a justice framework from the perspectives of these two thinkers, three layers of knowledge—philosophical (including epistemology, anthropology, and ontology), paradigmatic, and scientific (including theory and model)—were considered. Data were collected and analyzed using the comparative method.
Findings: The findings indicate that despite certain shared emphases—such as the importance both thinkers place on society and communal goods as well as the principles governing their distribution—Motahhari prioritizes the rights of society over the rights of individuals and disagrees with extensive relativism and maximal pluralism in social goods and distributive principles. He also maintains, unlike Walzer, that some universal and immutable perceptions of justice exist.
On the other hand, Walzer, by identifying eleven distinct spheres of justice (membership, security and welfare, money and commodities, office, hard work, leisure, education, kinship and love, recognition, divine grace, and political power), emphasizes the preservation of each sphere’s independence from domination and monopoly. Motahhari, however, identifies three broader domains of justice—divine justice, individual justice, and social justice—and argues for a comprehensive reciprocal relationship among them, in which divine justice forms the foundation of human justice, and individual justice underlies social justice.
Conclusion: Justice continues to be a central concern in socio‑economic and political thought. Although numerous social movements and political revolutions have sought to achieve justice and equality, there remains no universal agreement on the structure of a fully just society.

Abstract Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a sociological analysis of the dimensions of economic and social sustainable development within the country’s oil and gas industry. Method: This descriptive–review study examined the existing body of literature related to the sociological analysis of sustainable economic and social development in the oil and gas sector over the past ten years (2014–2024). Relevant studies were selected through random sampling. Following an initial search and subsequent screening of articles and theses, 12 studies were chosen and analyzed. Findings: The results indicate that several key indicators—including public participation, fluctuations in oil revenue and urbanization growth, governance and transparency, livelihood changes, lifestyle transformations, shifts in values and norms, environmental challenges, socio‑economic inequalities linked to oil exports, weak job‑skill competencies, increased disparities, and oil‑based economic and development planning—are among the most influential factors shaping sustainable economic and social development in the national oil and gas industry. Conclusion: In Iran, oil—serving as the backbone of national economic income—has significant effects on various social transformations, including social mobility and sustainable development. In resource‑rich countries such as Iran, revenues from natural resources, due to factors such as ineffective revenue management, can influence social and economic conditions in ways that hinder sustainable development. Therefore, oil can function both as a driver of socio‑economic growth and as a potential barrier to it.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a sociological analysis of the relationship between social sustainable development and cultural policies, with emphasis on the mediating role of citizenship rights at the Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch.
Method: This research employed a descriptive‑survey design with a correlational approach. The statistical population consisted of all 270 staff members of the Central Tehran Branch, of whom 159 were selected as the sample using simple random sampling and Cochran’s formula. Data were collected using three researcher‑developed instruments: the Social Sustainable Development Questionnaire, the Cultural Policies Questionnaire, and the Citizenship Rights Questionnaire, whose validity and reliability were confirmed at 0.93 and 0.90, 0.91 and 0.89, and 0.86 and 0.88, respectively. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling via SPSS and AMOS 22.
Findings: The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between social sustainable development and cultural policies when considering the mediating role of citizenship rights at the Central Tehran Branch. A significant relationship also exists directly between social sustainable development and cultural policies.
Conclusion: Social sustainable development, when coupled with cultural policy‑making and strengthened citizenship rights, has substantial effects on modern societies, including improving quality of life, reducing inequalities, and enhancing public participation.