The Relationship Between Urban Governance, Disaster Management and Reconstruction Trends in Iran

Abstract

Similar to many other developing countries Iran experiences rapid urbanisation but within a highly earthquake-prone geographical context. As a developing country, Iran follows the pathway towards development in various fields. However, the 8-year war with Iraq not only postponed the development process, but also legitimised and prolonged a centralised government. This chapter provides an overview of Iran’s institutional context and experiences in reconstruction and the interplay of underlying developmental aspects influenced strategising the recovery and organising reconstruction of Bam. Access to knowledge and increase of urban professionals contribute to old-fashioned urban development programmes in the existing urban governance system being criticised for their quantitative ignorant roles and their damaging architectural values of the country’s ancient history on organised settlements. Post-war reconstruction experienced different approaches to reconstruction. It started from idealism, radical changes and not counting on people for reconstruction, but it shifted towards realism and delegating the task of reconstruction with locals. Manjil reconstruction was a turning point for disaster management and a milestone for institutional professional context. It cumulated the existing know-how and lessons learned as the broad national reconstruction policies. However, such valuable lessons for the country, in general, were mainly based on rural reconstruction experiences. Dealing with the complexities of urban reconstruction had preciously proved to be a challenge. The Bam earthquake on 26 December 2003, was the first large-scale disaster after such advances in disaster management, happening in a historic landscape with an internationally famous ancient citadel. It created a field which was a transversal intersection of various developmental patterns.