The Role of Social and Political Forces in the Expansion of Multipurpose Commercial Complexes in Tehran During the 2000s

A B S T R A C T
The emergence of multipurpose shopping centers in Tehran has intensified in recent decades, particularly during the 2000s. The development of these urban spaces has been significantly influenced by the prevailing modes of urban governance and state policies during this period, as well as by overarching national development plans. Urban and governmental administrations, through their regulations and development agendas, facilitated the intervention of various social and political forces in urban projects, including the construction of such commercial complexes.This study investigates how the interactions between social and political forces have shaped commercial spaces—specifically, multipurpose shopping centers—in Tehran. The research aims to identify the actors, contexts, and mechanisms through which these forces have exercised agency in the formation of urban commercial environments. Employing a qualitative methodology, the study draws on field observations, library research, expert interviews, and a review of urban management documents, including municipal decrees and national development programs. Thematic analysis was used to interpret and explain the findings.The results reveal the involvement of complex and intertwined social, political, and economic forces in urban development processes, making it impossible to attribute a singular role to any one actor. Within this complexity, the roles of municipalities, urban governance institutions, non-urban governmental bodies investing in commercial projects, and various private sector entities must all be considered in an integrated manner.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
The discourse on the production of urban space has received attention in urban literature over recent decades. The production of urban space is a multidimensional concept that encompasses processes involving decision-making, management, and ownership in urban space production. During the production of urban space, various actors and stakeholders with different levels of power and access to resources participate. A prominent example of this is the involvement of political and social forces in multifunctional commercial complexes, which necessitates an examination and interpretation of the factors and contexts of their intervention.
On the other hand, their roles and the relationships among these forces create a necessity to investigate the contexts and consequences of their interventions from various aspects concerning urban planning and development. Studying this topic is important as it demonstrates how the relationships among multiple stakeholders involved in the formation of urban spaces influence urban planning and development, determining who benefits from urban spaces. This topic assists urban policymakers in creating more inclusive urban environments for community participation in the development process. It also enhances our understanding of how urban spaces are formed and transformed, optimizing urban planning and development processes.
Furthermore, employing interdisciplinary approaches such as sociology and political science to examine the reciprocal effects of social and political forces on urban space can contribute to a deeper understanding of complex urban dynamics. In this article, two main questions will be discussed:
What forces were involved in the agency of multifunctional commercial complexes in Tehran during the 2000s?
What contexts and factors influenced the agency of multifunctional commercial complexes in Tehran during the 2000s?
Therefore, studying the contextual conditions governing the country's planning system during the specified time period, as well as the prevailing discourses in the intellectual environment of the stakeholders involved in these centers, becomes significant in tracing the causes of their emergence in Tehran.
 
Methodology
The research methodology is based on the interpretive paradigm and the research design follows an inductive strategy to answer the research questions. Data collection was conducted through documentary methods, field observations, library research, and interviews with experts in Tehran.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with city experts, including academic experts such as professors and researchers in the field, as well as practical experts, including specialists and managers from the municipality who had experience in areas related to the topic. These interviews were carried out through purposive sampling.
Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis tools and techniques. To better understand the results, government resolutions, development programs, and resolutions from the municipality and the Tehran City Council were analyzed and interpreted.
 
Discussion and Findings
The intervention of social and political forces in the production of multifunctional shopping centers results from the interaction of various factors and contexts, including the facilitation and groundwork laid by the government, such as the commodification of the economy, the privatization of rents, the state-controlled and directive nature of the economy, the increasing inclination towards international trade and economic interactions with the outside world, as well as sanctions, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the post-JCPOA period.
Additionally, the groundwork and facilitation by urban management, including the municipality's debt to governing institutions, the municipality's self-sufficiency policy, the role of the municipality as either an executor or policymaker, the lack of appropriate legal mechanisms, agreements with powerful clients, and the zoning of detailed plans by consultants, have played significant roles.
Analysis and interpretation of the resolutions from the Tehran City Council and the municipality, along with thematic analysis of the interviewees, indicate that the decisions made in these organizations during the mentioned decade created a conducive environment for the intervention of these forces in commercialization. On the other hand, government resolutions and development programs enabled private sector participation, both independently and in collaboration with the municipality.
 
Conclusion
The commercialization, particularly the construction of multifunctional shopping centers in the 2000s, was significantly influenced by the political economy of the country. Statistics on the issuance of construction permits for multifunctional commercial complexes in Tehran during this decade indicate that most of these complexes were constructed by private sector agents. Some construction permits were also issued in a collaborative manner through memorandums of understanding or agreements with the municipality.
During this period, the governing sector seemingly did not have a direct intervention in the construction of commercial centers. However, by the mid-2000s, many shares of state-owned companies were privatized and transferred to semi-state or quasi-private entities, paving the way for private sector involvement. Thus, in the economic sphere, social forces played a role in the operation of these commercial centers and had a significant presence in power relations and participation.
Ultimately, it can be concluded that complex social, political, and economic forces were involved in urban development, and it is not feasible to assign a specific role to a single force. In this complexity, the roles of municipalities, relevant governing institutions related to the city, non-city-related governing institutions that execute investments in the development of shopping centers, and various private sectors must all be considered together.
 
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
 We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.