How Can Urban Planners Pursue Their Social Responsibility?: A case study of Urban Planners’ Encounter with the Approvals of Tehran’s Article 5 Commission

A B S T R A C T
Urban planning has evolved from a specialized and technocratic field to an interdisciplinary subject with political and social nature. Urban planning professionals typically work for government or public employers, and from this perspective, it might be assumed that they are inevitably bound to fulfill the demands of their employers. However, planners are advocates for the people and even for future generations who have yet to be born. For this reason, urban planners need tools to fulfill their social responsibilities (especially in situations where their primary tool -the urban development plans-loses its effectiveness). The research method in this study is narrative. This study, based on a case study (the experience of urban planners dealing with the approvals of the Article 5 Commission of Tehran during the sixth term of urban management), shows how tools such as holding specialized meetings in social oversight institutions or universities, drafting new plans to preserve public interest, issuing statements, referring to judicial authorities, organizing press conferences, lobbying, publishing articles, and writing letters to higher authorities assist planners in striving to fulfill their social responsibility and create a network to pursue public rights. Finally, although these efforts may not always lead to the desired outcomes for urban planners, continuous steps in a gradual process toward reforming procedures will increase the cost of unscientific actions and the violation of public rights, and reduce the likelihood of similar mistakes being repeated in the future.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Urban planning has undergone fundamental transformations over the past few decades, evolving from a purely technical and expert-driven field into an interdisciplinary domain with political, social, and cultural dimensions. Along this path, the duties and responsibilities of urban planners have also changed and become more complex. Urban planners are not only accountable to government employers but also bear a heavy social responsibility as advocates and representatives of the people, including future generations. Urban planning has shifted from a strictly technical profession to a multidisciplinary subject with political and social characteristics. Urban planners typically work as employees or consultants of governmental or public institutions and might be perceived as being obliged merely to execute the orders and demands of their employers. However, this perception is inaccurate because planners are, in fact, advocates and defenders of citizens’ rights as well as the rights of future generations who have not yet been born but to whom planners are indirectly responsible. Given this complex position, urban planners require various tools to effectively fulfill their social responsibilities. This issue becomes even more critical when their primary tool -urban development plans- loses its effectiveness. Sometimes planners collaborate directly with managers and policymakers of powerful institutions, but often, for various reasons, they cannot directly participate in decision-making or be heard. Therefore, the key question is: under such conditions, how can urban planners fulfill their duties? Do they bear any commitment or responsibility against decisions that are incorrect or detrimental to public interests? And if such commitments exist, what tools do they have to perform their social role? This study, relying on a case study, attempts to answer these questions and highlight the role of urban planners in confronting complex urban management challenges. This article aims to demonstrate, through examining a case study of urban planners’ interactions with the approvals of the 5th Article Commission of Tehran during the sixth city management term, how these individuals can use various tools to play their role in protecting public rights and fulfilling social responsibilities.
 
Methodology
The research method employed in this study is a narrative approach based on autoethnography. Autoethnography allows researchers to analyze complex social processes by precisely and deeply recording their own or others’ direct experiences. The case studied is the encounter of urban planners with the approvals of the Article 5 Commission of Tehran during the sixth term of urban management from 2021 onward. During this period, the number of the commission’s approvals significantly increased, reaching four times the previous numbers, some of which were seriously criticized by urban planners. In some cases, urban planners attempted to halt or amend certain approvals. The authors of this study participated in some of these activities and, by using autoethnography, have been able to provide a documented report reflecting the challenges, tools, and strategies employed.
 
Results and Discussion
The results show that efforts by urban planners to enhance transparency, institutionalize lawfulness within governance bodies, preserve public rights, and combat urban profiteering are difficult to achieve using traditional urban planning tools. Indeed, when planners consider themselves responsible for a broad society -including those who lack the ability or awareness to defend their rights and future generations not yet born- they must adopt an approach beyond administrative and contractual duties. Under such conditions, planners are required to engage in social mobilization, civic education, advocacy and support for people, and mediation among diverse social groups. To fulfill these roles, they need a variety of tools to raise public awareness and create an effective network for pursuing public rights. These tools include organizing expert meetings within social oversight bodies and universities, drafting new legal proposals, issuing official statements, referring matters to judicial authorities, holding press conferences, targeted lobbying, publishing specialized articles, and communicating with higher authorities. These instruments enable planners to play their role in safeguarding public interests regardless of formal affiliations.
 
Conclusion
This study indicates that although urban planners’ efforts may not always achieve the desired outcomes or fully guarantee all public rights, continuous and consistent steps toward reforming procedures play a crucial role in raising the costs of unscientific actions and infringement of public rights, thereby reducing the likelihood of repeating similar mistakes in the future. In other words, urban planners, as defenders of public rights, must move beyond formal frameworks and contractual agreements and actively pursue their social responsibility by leveraging diverse tools and social networking. Establishing such networks can strengthen planners’ positions in urban policy-making and effectively contribute to the preservation of public interests.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
The introduction, theoretical foundations, method, discussion, and conclusion sections were written by the first author, and the case study section was written by the second author.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.