A comparative study of government and governance: investigating semantic differences in iran's contemporary urban planning and management system

Farhangdoust, Hadi; Hanaee, Toktam

doi:10.22034/uep.2025.541868.1694

A comparative study of government and governance: investigating semantic differences in iran's contemporary urban planning and management system

Document Type : Theoretical and fundamental

Authors

Hadi Farhangdoust ¹

Toktam Hanaee ²

¹ Master of Arts, Islamic Architecture, Department of Islamic Art and Architecture, Faculty of Islamic Art and Architecture, Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran

² Associated Professor, Department of Urbanism, Ma.C., Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

10.22034/uep.2025.541868.1694

Abstract

The semantic and functional ambiguities between “governance” and “governability” have created significant theoretical and practical challenges within contemporary Iranian urban planning and management systems. This research elucidates the conceptual distinctions between governance, defined as a formal, hierarchical, and state-centric structure, and governability, characterized as a networked, participatory, and multi-actor process. The core problem addresses the substantive differences between these two paradigms across dimensions such as legitimacy source, decision-making structure, stakeholder scope, governmental role, and ultimate policy objective, and how these ambiguities impact the efficacy of urban policies.
Employing a qualitative content analysis with a categorical approach, the study scrutinizes specialized texts and Iranian policy documents from the past two decades (2005-2025). It integrates deductive reasoning, based on theoretical frameworks, with inductive reasoning derived from textual data. The sample, drawn from upstream urban planning documents, utilized purposive sampling to ensure maximum diversity. Findings indicate that the conceptual confusion has led to inefficient policy design, diminished public participation, and weakened institutional effectiveness. This is evident, as governance-centric solutions, such as participatory development, prove incompatible with traditional governance frameworks and top-down decision-making approaches. The crucial distinction lies in the shift from exclusive state control in governance to coordination and facilitation within a network of governmental, private, and civil actors. This research proposes a conceptual framework to address these ambiguities, providing recommendations for enhancing the application of these concepts in urban policymaking to promote optimal urban governance.

Keywords

Local Decision-Making

Qualitative Content Analysis

Urban Management

Urban Planning

Urban Policymaking

20.1001.1.28212118.1405.7.2.3.1

Subjects

Urban planning

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