Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Water management from tradition to second modernity: an analysis of the water crisis in Iran

  • CASE STUDY
  • Published:
Environment, Development and Sustainability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article reflects on the fundamentals of first and second modernity and its usefulness and practicability for problem formulation and solving in the context of water management practices in Iran. It is argued that the current water crisis in Iran resulted from modernization based on first modernity paradigms, and second modernity concepts are used to present a framework for new water management approaches. Based on the concept of sub-political arrangements, we suggest that water management issues can be treated best in process-based ways under a reflexive modernity point of view.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdullaev, I., Kazbekov, J., Manthritilake, H., & Jumaboev, K. (2009). Participatory water management at the main canal: A case from south Ferghana canal in Uzbekistan. Agricultural Water Management, 96(2), 317–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allan, J. A. (2005). Water in the environment/socio-economic development discourse: Sustainability, changing management paradigms and policy responses in a global system. Government and Opposition, 40(2), 181–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alroe, H. F., & Kristensen, E. S. (2000). Research, values and ethics in organic agriculture—examples from sustainability, precaution, nature quality and animal welfare. Extended abstract for the Eursafe 2000 Congress, Copenhagen.

  • Asaesh, H. (1994). Rural economy. Tehran: Payam Noor University press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balali, M. R., Keulartz, J., & Korthals, M. (2009). Reflexive water management in arid regions: The case of Iran. Environmental Values, 18(1), 91–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U. (1992). Risk society: Towards a new modernity. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U. (1995a). Ecological enlightenment: Essays on the politics of the risk society. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U. (1995b). Ecological politics in an age of risk. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U. (1996). Risk society and the provident state. In S. Lash, B. Szerzynski, & B. Wynne (Eds.), Risk environment and modernity: Towards a new ecology (pp. 1–27). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U. (1997). The reinvention of politics. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U. (1998a). Democracy without enemies. Malden, MA: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U. (1998b). Politics of risk society. In J. Franklin (Ed.), The politics of risk society (pp. 1–9). Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U. (1999). World risk society. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U., & Beck-Gernsheim, E. (2002). Individualization. London: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U., Bonss, W., & Lau, C. (2003). The theory of reflexive modernization: Problematic, hypotheses and research programme. Theory, Culture and Society, 20(2), 1–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benn, S., Brown, P., & North-Samardzic, A. (2008). A commentary on decision-making and organisational legitimacy in the risk society. Journal of Environmental Management, 90(4), 1655–1662.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, M. B., Thompson, M., Ney, S., Gyawali, D., & Jeffrey, P. (2011). On enabling and disabling governance for re-engineering city infrastructure. Engineering Sustainability, 164(ES2), 129–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benn, S., Dunply, D., & Martin, A. (2009). Governance of environmental risk: New approaches to managing stakeholder involvement. Journal of Environmental Management, 90(4), 1567–1575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brouma, A. D. (2003). Bridging the GAP: modernity versus post-modernity. Which water management paradigm? Paper prepared for the Kokkalis Graduate Workshop Harvard University.

  • Brunner, R., & Steelman, T. (2005). Beyond scientific management. In R. Brunner, T. Steelman, L. Coe-Juell, C. Cromley, C. Edwards, & D. Tucker (Eds.), Adaptive governance: Integrating science, policy and decision making (pp. 1–32). New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, M. J. (1997). Risk society and ecological modernisation alternative vision for post-industrial nations. Futures, 29(2), 105–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, J. (1968). Modernization. In International encyclopedia of the social sciences, 10. Macmillan: Free Press, New York.

  • De Marchi, B., & Ravetz, J. R. (1999). Risk management and governance: A post-normal science approach. Futures, 31(7), 743–757.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deihimfard, R., Zand, E., Damghani, A. M., & Soufizadeh, S. (2007). Herbicide risk assessment during the wheat self-sufficiency project in Iran. Pest Management Science, 63(10), 1036–1045.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Divan, S., & Rosencranz, A. (2005). Environmental law and policy in India (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

  • Durant, R. F., Chun, Y. P., Kim, B., & Lee, S. (2004). Toward a new governance paradigm for environmental and natural resource management in the twenty-first century? Administration and Society, 35(6), 643–682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekberg, M. (2007). The parameters of the risk society: A review and exploration. Current sociology, 55(3), 343–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faramarzi, M., Abbaspour, K. C., Schulin, R., & Yang, H. (2009). Modelling blue and green water resources availability in Iran. Hydrological Processes, 23, 486–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farhangi, B. (2007). Some incomparable aspects of irrigation art in ancient Iran. In Proceedings of the international history seminar on irrigation and drainage, Tehran. 11–24.

  • Foltz, R. C. (2002). Iran’s water crisis: Cultural, political and ethical dimension. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 15(4), 357–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forouzani, M., & Karami, E. (2010). Agricultural water poverty index and sustainability. Journal of Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 31(2), 415–431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fozi, Y. (2004). Social challenge of Islamic republic of Iran. Sociology Journal of Iran, 5(3), 172–190. (in Farsi).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabriela, L. (2012). Social innovations in the context of modernization. Sociologia, 44(3), 291–313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghadiri Masoum, M., & Najafi kani, A. A. (2003). Development program after the Islamic revolution and its impact on rural areas. Geography Research, 44, 11–121. (In Farsi).

    Google Scholar 

  • Giampietro, M. (2003). Multi-scale integrated analysis of agroecosystems. New York: CRC Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Giddens, A. (1990). The consequences of modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giddens, A. (1998). The third way. The Renewal of Social Democracy: Polity Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giddens, A. (1999). Runaway world how globalization is reshaping our lives. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldblatt, D. (1996). Social theory and the environment. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanlon, G., Goode, J., Greatbatch, D., Luff, D., O′Cathain, A., & Strangleman, T. (2006). Risk society and the NHS—from the traditional to the new citizen? Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 17, 270–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Healy, S. A. (1997). Changing science and ensuring our future. Futures, 29(6), 505–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hochrainer-Stigler, S. (2011). A framework for assessment of tangible and intangible losses in a multi-risk and multi-criteria setting. Matrix Project, Final Deliverable (D5.3), Brussels.

  • Howes, M. (2002). Reflexive modernisation, the internet, and democratic environmental decision making. Organization and Environment, 15(3), 328–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ison, R., Rölng, N., & Watson, D. (2007). Challenges to science and society in the sustainable management and use of water: Investigating the role of social learning. Environmental Science and Policy, 10(6), 400–511.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, T. N. (2000). Putting post modernity into practice: Endogenous and the role of traditional cultures in the rural development of marginal regions. Ecological Economics, 34(3), 301–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, M., & Blok, A. (2008). Pesticides in the risk society: The view from everyday life. Current Sociology, 56(5), 757–778.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karimi, A. A. (2009). Water situation in Iran: challenges and achievements. In: European water and sanitation services vs. sustainable development, potable water services in Morocco-China-Austria-Iran, Proc. November, 2009, Athens.

  • Karami, E. (1993). Sustainable agriculture and agricultural policy. pp. 37–59. In Proceedings of the second symposium on agricultural policy of Iran, November 8–10 1993, Shiraz, Iran. (in Farsi).

  • Koppenjan, J., & Klijn, E. H. (2004). Managing uncertainties in networks. Taylor and Francis Group: Routladge Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Labbaf Khaneiki, M. (2007). Traditional water management: An inspiration for sustainable irrigated agriculture in central Iran’. In Proceedings of the international history seminar on irrigation and drainage. Tehran, 2–5 May 2007, pp. 73–84.

  • Lambton, A. K. S. (1953). Landlord and peasant in Persia (p. 459). London: Oxford University Press,

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, R. L. M. (2006). Reinventing modernity reflexive modernization versus liquid modernity versus multiple modernities. European Journal of Social Theory, 9(3), 355–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luks, F. (1999). Post-normal science and the rhetoric of inquiry: Deconstructing normal science? Futures, 31(7), 705–719.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lupton, D. (1999a). Risk. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lupton, D. (1999b). Crime control, citizenship and the state: Lay understandings of crime, its causes and solutions. Journal of Sociology, 35(3), 297–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lupton, D. (2006). Sociology and risk. In G. Mythen & S. Walklate (Eds.), Beyond the risk society. Critical reflections on risk and human security. New York: Open University press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molle, F. (2006). Planning and managing water resources at the river basin level: Emergence and evolution of a concept. Comprehensive assessment research report 16. Colombo, Srilanka: International Water Management Institute. www.Iwmi.cgiar.org/assessment/publications/researchreports.htm.

  • Molle, F., Mollinga, P. P., & Meinzen-Dick, R. (2008). Water, politics and development: Introduction water alternatives. Water Alternatives, 1(1), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munda, G. (2006) Contemporary economic evaluation: A concise discussion. Report EUR 22463 EN, JRC, Ispra, Italy.

  • Mycoo, M. (2005). Shifting paradigms in water provisioning policies: A trinidad case study. Water Resource Development, 21(3), 509–523.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neef, A. (2009). Transforming rural water governance: Toward deliberative and polycentric models? Water Alternatives, 2(1), 53–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R., Howden, M., & Smith, M. S. (2008). Using adaptive governance to rethink the way science supports Australian drought policy. Environmental Science and Policy, 11(7), 588–601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pahl-Wostl, C. (2002). Towards sustainability in the water sector: The importance of human actors and processes of social learning. Aquatic Sciences, 64(4), 394–411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pahl-Wostl, C. (2007). Transitions towards adaptive management of water facing climate and global changing. Water Resource Management, 21(1), 49–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pahl-Wostl, C., Jeffrey, P., Isendahl, N., & Brugnach, M. (2011). Maturing the new water management paradigm: Progressing from aspiration to practice. Water Resource Management, 25, 837–856.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pahl-Wostl, C., Tàbarab, D., Bouwenc, R., Crapsc, M., Dewulf, A., Mostert, E., Ridder, D., & Taillieuc , T. (2008). The importance of social learning and culture for sustainable water management. Ecological Economics, 64(3), 484–495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pellizzoni, L. (1999). Reflexive modernization and beyond: Knowledge and value in the politics of environment and technology. Theory, Culture and Society, 16(4), 99–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powell, J., Wahidin, A., & Zinn, K. (2007). Understanding risk and old age in western society. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 27(1/2), 65–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rezaei-Moghaddam, K., Karami, E., & Gibson, J. (2005). Conceptualizing sustainable agriculture: Iran as an illustrative case. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 27, 25–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rezvani M. R. (2005). An introduction to rural development planning at Iran. Ghoomes Publications Ltd., Tehran, Iran (in Farsi).

  • Rose, N. (1993). Government, authority and expertise in advanced liberalism. Economy and Society, 22(3), 283–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, N., & Miller, P. (1992). Political power beyond the state: Problematic of government. The British Journal of Sociology, 43(2), 173–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rutherford, P. (2000). The problem of nature in contemporary social theory. Ph.D. dissertation, The Australian national University. Australia.

  • Salmanzadeh, S., & Jones, G. E. (1981). Transformations in the agrarian structure in Southwestern Iran. The Journal of Developing Areas, 15, 199–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tacconi, L. (1998). Scientific methodology for ecological economics. Ecological Economics, 27(1), 91–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tajik, M., & Darvishi, F. (2004). Aspirations of the Islamic revolution in the age of globalization: Challenges and reactions. Sociology Journal of Iran, 5(3), 140–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Termeer, K. A. M. (2009). Water professionals and public leadership. Irrigation and Draining, 58(2), 212–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, P. B. (1997). Sustainability as a norm. Philosophy and Technology, 2(2), 75–93.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Koppen, C. S. A. (2000). Resource, arcadia, life world. Nature concepts in environmental sociology. Sociologia Ruralis, 40(3), 300–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verweij, M., & Thompson, M. (2011). Clumsy solutions for a complex world. Basingstoke: Palgrave.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster, A. (1999). Technologies in transition, policies in transition: Foresight in the risk society. Technovation, 19(6–7), 413–421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Worster, D. (1986). Rivers of empire: Water, aridity, and the growth of the American West. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We express appreciation to Kathryn Platzer, from Communications Department IIASA, who kindly edited the article

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, College of Rural development, Ramin Agricultural and Natural Resources University, Mollasani, Ahvaz, Iran

    Masoud Yazdanpanah

  2. Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

    Dariush Hayati, Gholam Hosein Zamani & Fereshteh Karbalaee

  3. Risk, Policy, and Vulnerability, IIASA-International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria

    Masoud Yazdanpanah & Stefan Hochrainer-Stigler

Authors
  1. Masoud Yazdanpanah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dariush Hayati
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gholam Hosein Zamani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fereshteh Karbalaee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Stefan Hochrainer-Stigler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Hochrainer-Stigler.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yazdanpanah, M., Hayati, D., Zamani, G.H. et al. Water management from tradition to second modernity: an analysis of the water crisis in Iran. Environ Dev Sustain 15, 1605–1621 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-013-9452-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-013-9452-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation