Identifying Environmental Discourses in Iran based on John Dryzek’s Typology (Case Stydy: Five-Year Development Plans)

Subject Areas : sociology

Sadegh Salehi ¹ , Amir Maleki ² , Leyla Karimi ³

1 - Professor, Social Sciences Department, Mazandaran University, Babolsar, Iran. (Corresponding Author) [e-mail]
2 - Associate Professor, Social Sciences Department, Payame Noor University, Tehran. Iran
3 - Graduated with PhD in Sociology from Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2024-04-16 Accepted : 2024-11-13 Published : 2025-03-16

Keywords: Discourse analysis, environment, environmental discourse, development program, John Dryzek.,

Abstract :

In the 1960s, the world realized that the environmental problems caused by human actions are not limited to space and time and have consequences for all human beings all around the earth. In Iran, with the emergence of the effects of environmental destruction, various dimensions of this issue have been considered; including the effectiveness of laws and programs in protecting the environment and natural resources. The present research identified hidden discourses in the clauses related to the environment in the laws of the country's five-year development plans using the discourse analysis approach and using John Dryzek's theory and methodology. Dryzek defines discourse as a common way of understanding the world, and introduces eight environmental discourses, based on two dimensions, reformist/radical and monotonous/creative, and four components includimg main entities, relationships, agents and their motivations, and key metaphors. The findings showed that the discourses identified in the research did not fully conform to Draizek's discourses. Therefore, a general approach of problem solving and three discourses were identified and named as: administrative rationalism, democratic rationalism and technocratic rationalism. It was concluded that one of the reasons for the ineffectiveness of laws and development programs, can be the dominant discourses in them. Therefore, problem-solving discourses should be replaced with sustainable discourse. Conflict of Interest: According to the authors, the article did not have any conflict of interests.

References:


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