Evaluation of environmental policy in Iran with the approach of discourse analysis (third government to twelfth government)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Sociology Department, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran. Iran

2 Member of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran

10.22080/sod.2023.25768.1012

Abstract

Environment is one of the interdisciplinary topics that can be explained and investigated in different dimensions and from different angles. One of the most important aspects is the dominant discourse of every government, which leads to the formulation of plans and guidelines and determines the implementation process of policies. In fact, environmental policies have long been included in policies, programs proposed by governments, and the text of statesmen's speeches. The Islamic Republic of Iran is not an exception to this rule, and since the 1350s, it has always put instructions and laws in this regard on its agenda. However, these programs have not always improved and evolved over time, and over time, governments have taken different stances on environmental policy based on the discourses that dominate their policies. One of the methods of understanding the dominant environmental discourse of the governments is the analysis of the dominant programs and approaches in this regard. This research, using the discourse analysis approach, tries to explore the documents and development programs and dominant policies in each of the governments after the Islamic Revolution of Iran. (3rd to 12th government) to understand the importance of environment in different periods. The results showed that there has been a transition from the explanation of a single factor in the understanding of environmental issues, however, environmental policies and practices have been derived from the type of political discourse that governs the government.

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