An Exploratory Study of the Epistemology of Iranian Environmental Politicians

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. student, Department of Social Problems of Iran, Faculty of Social Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

3 Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

4 Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mazandaran University, Mazandaran, Iran

10.30473/ee.2025.74742.2854

Abstract

Environmental issues have expanded significantly since the emergence of modern nation-states. Although governments and environmental organizations have made various efforts to protect the environment and promote sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations, environmental crises have deepened, and the discourse of sustainable development continues to face numerous challenges. Consequently, sociologists have referred to such societies as "risk societies." Part of the problem can be attributed to how policymakers and planners perceive environmental issues and how they respond to them. This study was conducted using a qualitative approach and employed reflexive thematic analysis. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with experts and stakeholders involved in environmental issues in Iran. The target population included 29 individuals comprising ministers, senior managers, specialists, and civil society activists, selected through purposive sampling. The findings revealed ten key themes: the complexity of the environmental concept, Iran’s ecological understanding, unbalanced development, idealism, the pitfall of self-sufficiency, lack of awareness regarding the issue, lack of shared concern, overcentralization by the state, an infrastructure-centric perspective, and organizational inertia. The results indicate that policymakers lacked an adequate understanding of Iran’s environment, its ecological fragility, and the need for development aligned with the country’s biocapacity. Instead, they have unilaterally imposed their ideals on society. Moreover, environmental policymaking processes, carried out across various levels and sectors, have predominantly focused on structural considerations, often neglecting the multidimensional nature of environmental challenges.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journals of Environmental Education and Sustainable Development
Volume 14, Issue 3
June 2026
Pages 113-136

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